{"id":239,"date":"2017-12-22T06:58:09","date_gmt":"2017-12-22T06:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/?p=239"},"modified":"2017-12-22T06:58:09","modified_gmt":"2017-12-22T06:58:09","slug":"the-double-negative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/","title":{"rendered":"The Double Negative"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Bill Ball & Tony Scott<\/strong><\/p>\n

The use of the double negative for emphasis is, as we say, as old as the hills; and it was used in this way centuries ago much more frequently than it is today. But what is a double negative and why is it now regarded as an error? The easiest way to answer these questions is to give a few simple examples and then say why they are wrong.<\/p>\n

1. I don't want no lessons from you.<\/strong>
\n 2. I shouldn't be surprised if it didn't rain.<\/strong>
\n 3. He didn't say nothing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In sentence 1. 'don't and 'no' are both negatives;
\nin sentence 2. 'shouldn't' and 'didn't' are both negatives;
\nin sentence 3. 'didn't' and 'nothing' are both negatives.<\/p>\n

In English, as in mathematics, we now regard two negatives as making a positive, with the result that each of the sentences quoted has the opposite meaning to the one intended:<\/p>\n

'I want lessons from you'.<\/strong>
\n 'I should be surprised if it rained'.<\/strong>
\n 'He said something'.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It should be noted that in the following sentence (and in many sentences like it) the double negatives, 'not' and 'unnoticed', are perfectly acceptable because they make a positive that is intended.
\n I do not want to go unnoticed. (I want to be noticed.)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Bill Ball & Tony Scott The use of the double negative for emphasis is, as we say, as old as the hills; and it was used in this way centuries ago much more frequently than it is today. But what is a double negative and why is it now regarded as an error? The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-useful-guides"],"gutentor_comment":0,"yoast_head":"\nThe Double Negative - King's English Society<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Double Negative - King's English Society\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"by Bill Ball & Tony Scott The use of the double negative for emphasis is, as we say, as old as the hills; and it was used in this way centuries ago much more frequently than it is today. But what is a double negative and why is it now regarded as an error? The […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"King's English Society\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-12-22T06:58:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"clive\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"clive\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/the-double-negative\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/the-double-negative\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"clive\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0e86c3d536c54e368924d905de79d920\"},\"headline\":\"The Double Negative\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-12-22T06:58:09+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/the-double-negative\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":211,\"commentCount\":0,\"articleSection\":[\"Useful Guides\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/the-double-negative\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/the-double-negative\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/the-double-negative\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Double Negative - King's English Society\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2017-12-22T06:58:09+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0e86c3d536c54e368924d905de79d920\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/the-double-negative\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/the-double-negative\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/the-double-negative\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Double Negative\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/\",\"name\":\"King's English Society\",\"description\":\"King's English Society\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0e86c3d536c54e368924d905de79d920\",\"name\":\"clive\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8d7a44ab270ef32fab402fa400211672efe05f5d1f8d0bc887ac85657ee886e4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8d7a44ab270ef32fab402fa400211672efe05f5d1f8d0bc887ac85657ee886e4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8d7a44ab270ef32fab402fa400211672efe05f5d1f8d0bc887ac85657ee886e4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"clive\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/runyourownwebsite.uk\\\/kingsenglishsociety\\\/author\\\/clive\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Double Negative - King's English Society","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Double Negative - King's English Society","og_description":"by Bill Ball & Tony Scott The use of the double negative for emphasis is, as we say, as old as the hills; and it was used in this way centuries ago much more frequently than it is today. But what is a double negative and why is it now regarded as an error? The […]","og_url":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/","og_site_name":"King's English Society","article_published_time":"2017-12-22T06:58:09+00:00","author":"clive","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"clive","Estimated reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/"},"author":{"name":"clive","@id":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/#\/schema\/person\/0e86c3d536c54e368924d905de79d920"},"headline":"The Double Negative","datePublished":"2017-12-22T06:58:09+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/"},"wordCount":211,"commentCount":0,"articleSection":["Useful Guides"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/","url":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/","name":"The Double Negative - King's English Society","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/#website"},"datePublished":"2017-12-22T06:58:09+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/#\/schema\/person\/0e86c3d536c54e368924d905de79d920"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/the-double-negative\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Double Negative"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/#website","url":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/","name":"King's English Society","description":"King's English Society","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/#\/schema\/person\/0e86c3d536c54e368924d905de79d920","name":"clive","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d7a44ab270ef32fab402fa400211672efe05f5d1f8d0bc887ac85657ee886e4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d7a44ab270ef32fab402fa400211672efe05f5d1f8d0bc887ac85657ee886e4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d7a44ab270ef32fab402fa400211672efe05f5d1f8d0bc887ac85657ee886e4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"clive"},"url":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/author\/clive\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=239"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/runyourownwebsite.uk\/kingsenglishsociety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}