not friendly vs. unfriendly

[Csika]

Hi,

I wonder if there is any difference in meaning/implication:

1. John is not friendly.
2. John is unfriendly.

Thank you very much.

Csika

 

[billmcd]

No difference.

 

[Barb_D]

I don't know that I agree.
If John makes a point of saying hello, he is friendly.
If John doesn't make a point of saying hello, he is not friendly.
If you say hello to John and he does not say hello back, he is unfriendly.

 

[cereal_chick]

To clarify Barb_D's point, saying John is not friendly means that he isn't friendly. It is not a trait he possesses. Whereas saying John is unfriendly means that he is the opposite of friendly.

[Not a teacher]

 

[billmcd]

I don't know that I agree.
If John makes a point of saying hello, he is friendly.
If John doesn't make a point of saying hello, he is not friendly.
If you say hello to John and he does not say hello back, he is unfriendly.

From another "Googled" source:

"The meaning is the same, and they could be used synonymously. #1 would more often refer to a specific instance, a passing mood, while #2 would more often refer to a personality trait."
.

Jul 12 2008 09:33:20​

 

[5jj]

From another "Googled" source

If you quote from another site, please credit the source: unfriendly vs. not friendly?

I agree with Barb.

 

[Make Your English Work]

I agree with Barb. If a person behaves in a way that is the opposite of friendliness, for example by being rude, they are "unfriendly."
A person can be "not friendly" and also "not unfriendly" at the same time.

 

[Tdol]

As always, context matters. You could use not friendly to mean unfriendly, but decontextualised, I would agree that the absence of friendliness doesn't automatically imply unfriendliness.

 

[billmcd]

If you quote from another site, please credit the source: unfriendly vs. not friendly?

I agree with Barb.

FYI, here are a few sources to support my "no difference" in response to the original thread , at face value and lacking additional context: englishforum.com, dictionary.com, and as the primary definition of "unfriendly" (i.e. "not friendly") from Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary and thefreedictionary.com.
And finally (at least from here), consider the following dialogue:
(She) Remember, we're going to dinner at my sister's on Saturday.
(He) Oh no. You know I don't like to go there.
(She) Why?
(He) Because her husband, John, is unfriendly/not friendly. (Either one works for me .)