She hasn’t been speaking since 9 o’clock.

[lagoo]

She hasn’t been speaking since 9 o’clock.

The grammar book written by a Chinese author explains the sentence above as equals to “she has been speaking not since nine but perhaps since half past nine.”

Is the author wrong?

 

[emsr2d2]

If the preceding statement was "She has been speaking since 9 o'clock" and the quoted sentence is meant to be a statement of disagreement, then the author is right.

- This is a really long speech.
- I know! She's been speaking since 9 o'clock.
- She hasn't been speaking since 9 o'clock. I think she started at about 8.15!
- Yes, you're right.

 

[lagoo]

Couldn't it mean she has been keeping silent since 9 ?

 

[emsr2d2]

No. That would be "She hasn't spoken since 9 o'clock".