Nov 12 2008
Don’t Be So Negative!
This is not a treatise on the power of positive thinking. We’re going to discuss a more nuts-and-bolts subject: double negatives.
We all know that certain double negatives will make you sound like a congenital idiot: For example:
- We don’t have no biscuits. (Should be: We don’t have any biscuits.)
- I haven’t seen no haystacks around here. (Should be: I haven’t seen any haystacks around here.)
- She didn’t bake no cake for my birthday. (Should be: She didn’t bake a cake for my birthday, the miserable troglodyte.)
Not all double negatives are outlaws, however. Some sentences may contain two or more negative words, but that doesn’t make them incorrect. Here’s an example (negatives italicized):
- I don’t like working so hard and getting nowhere.
Other sentences can have two or more negatives and be technically correct, but could be improved by getting rid of one or more of the negatives, as in …
- At no stop on our road trip did we find no restrooms.
- BETTER: We found restrooms at every stop on our road trip.
Here’s another:
- Did you not find a stop on your road trip with no restrooms?
- BETTER: Did you find a stop on your road trip with no restrooms?
This is murky territory, to be sure, but you have to remember we’re dealing with the English language. So when dealing with double negatives, try to have a positive attitude about it.
PS. Check out my e-manuals. I think you’ll like them.
