Avoiding use of double negatives
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I teach an ESL Class for Spanish speakers. I've taught them the rules regarding "double negatives". Today, I had them translate the Spanish equivalent of "It isn't that he doesn't understand me." They pointed out the double negative & I'm not sure how to explain the contradiction. Can someone help?
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John NortonJohn Norton
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I teach an ESL Class for Spanish speakers. I've taught them the rules regarding "double negatives". Today, I had them translate the Spanish equivalent of "It isn't that he doesn't understand me." They pointed out the double negative & I'm not sure how to explain the contradiction. Can someone help?
descriptive-grammar
asked 7 mins ago
John NortonJohn Norton
1
New contributor
John Norton is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
What are the rules that you have taught them? I would give the basic "rule" about avoiding double negatives in English (I prefer the term "negative concord", although it's less popular) as something like "don't use two (or more) negative words to express one negative meaning". But your quoted sentence uses two negative words to express separate negations, so it does not contradict that rule.
– sumelic
2 mins ago
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I teach an ESL Class for Spanish speakers. I've taught them the rules regarding "double negatives". Today, I had them translate the Spanish equivalent of "It isn't that he doesn't understand me." They pointed out the double negative & I'm not sure how to explain the contradiction. Can someone help?
descriptive-grammar
asked 7 mins ago
John NortonJohn Norton
1
New contributor
John Norton is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I teach an ESL Class for Spanish speakers. I've taught them the rules regarding "double negatives". Today, I had them translate the Spanish equivalent of "It isn't that he doesn't understand me." They pointed out the double negative & I'm not sure how to explain the contradiction. Can someone help?
descriptive-grammar
descriptive-grammar
asked 7 mins ago
John NortonJohn Norton
1
New contributor
John Norton is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 7 mins ago
John NortonJohn Norton
1
New contributor
John Norton is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 7 mins ago
John NortonJohn Norton
1
New contributor
John Norton is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 7 mins ago
John NortonJohn Norton
1
asked 7 mins ago
John NortonJohn Norton
1
1
New contributor
John Norton is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
John Norton is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
John Norton is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
What are the rules that you have taught them? I would give the basic "rule" about avoiding double negatives in English (I prefer the term "negative concord", although it's less popular) as something like "don't use two (or more) negative words to express one negative meaning". But your quoted sentence uses two negative words to express separate negations, so it does not contradict that rule.
– sumelic
2 mins ago
add a comment |
What are the rules that you have taught them? I would give the basic "rule" about avoiding double negatives in English (I prefer the term "negative concord", although it's less popular) as something like "don't use two (or more) negative words to express one negative meaning". But your quoted sentence uses two negative words to express separate negations, so it does not contradict that rule.
– sumelic
2 mins ago
What are the rules that you have taught them? I would give the basic "rule" about avoiding double negatives in English (I prefer the term "negative concord", although it's less popular) as something like "don't use two (or more) negative words to express one negative meaning". But your quoted sentence uses two negative words to express separate negations, so it does not contradict that rule.
– sumelic
2 mins ago
What are the rules that you have taught them? I would give the basic "rule" about avoiding double negatives in English (I prefer the term "negative concord", although it's less popular) as something like "don't use two (or more) negative words to express one negative meaning". But your quoted sentence uses two negative words to express separate negations, so it does not contradict that rule.
– sumelic
2 mins ago
add a comment |
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What are the rules that you have taught them? I would give the basic "rule" about avoiding double negatives in English (I prefer the term "negative concord", although it's less popular) as something like "don't use two (or more) negative words to express one negative meaning". But your quoted sentence uses two negative words to express separate negations, so it does not contradict that rule.
– sumelic
2 mins ago