Author
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Topic: Linguistic Pet Peeves
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Dr Jack
Member Posts: 3514 From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch Joined: 07-14-2003 Member Rating: 8.7
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Message 27 of 164 (150673)
10-18-2004 6:42 AM
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Reply to: Message 14 by Tony650 10-18-2004 4:07 AM
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I'm just as guilty, of course. Whenever I hear someone use a double-negative, I admonish them with, "Don't never use no double-negatives." I then point out that mine is exempt because, technically, it's a triple-negative. You've stumbled on my big pet hate in speech. Double negatives. The idea that double negatives are 'wrong' or amount to a positive is an utter invention, an ugly convention forced on language by academics with their heads far too far up their own bums. In natural English grammar a double negative, like a double positive is an affirmation or strengthening of the statement.
This message is a reply to: | | Message 14 by Tony650, posted 10-18-2004 4:07 AM | | Tony650 has replied |
Replies to this message: | | Message 35 by Tony650, posted 10-18-2004 10:07 AM | | Dr Jack has replied | | Message 62 by Rrhain, posted 10-19-2004 4:29 AM | | Dr Jack has not replied |
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Dr Jack
Member Posts: 3514 From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch Joined: 07-14-2003 Member Rating: 8.7
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Message 36 of 164 (150712)
10-18-2004 10:13 AM
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Reply to: Message 35 by Tony650 10-18-2004 10:07 AM
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Double-negatives are grammatically correct? I didn't know that. Well, if that's what you're saying. I'm afraid you kind of lost me but I think that's what you meant. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Somewhere around the middle of the nineteenth century there was a big push towards formalising grammar (the kind of formalised grammar they teach in schools), much of which was just a big exercise in intellectual oneupmanship. The two most glaring examples are "don't split infinitives" (derived from Latin, where you couldn't; but utterly stupid in English grammar) and "double negatives". I challenge you to find a single native english speaker who doesn't understand "I didn't do nothing wrong". The natural grammar of English uses double negatives as affirmatives.
This message is a reply to: | | Message 35 by Tony650, posted 10-18-2004 10:07 AM | | Tony650 has replied |
Replies to this message: | | Message 41 by Tony650, posted 10-18-2004 10:33 AM | | Dr Jack has replied |
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Dr Jack
Member Posts: 3514 From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch Joined: 07-14-2003 Member Rating: 8.7
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ATM machine. See also: PIN number, SAT test, and so on. All of which are the correct grammatical usage. Sorry.
This message is a reply to: | | Message 34 by Dan Carroll, posted 10-18-2004 10:06 AM | | Dan Carroll has replied |
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Dr Jack
Member Posts: 3514 From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch Joined: 07-14-2003 Member Rating: 8.7
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Message 42 of 164 (150719)
10-18-2004 10:39 AM
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Reply to: Message 41 by Tony650 10-18-2004 10:33 AM
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Formal grammar, no; the actual grammar of English, yes. Real grammar describes the structure of the language; formal grammar proscribes it.
This message is a reply to: | | Message 41 by Tony650, posted 10-18-2004 10:33 AM | | Tony650 has replied |
Replies to this message: | | Message 43 by Tony650, posted 10-18-2004 10:48 AM | | Dr Jack has not replied |
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Dr Jack
Member Posts: 3514 From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch Joined: 07-14-2003 Member Rating: 8.7
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Bravo!
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Dr Jack
Member Posts: 3514 From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch Joined: 07-14-2003 Member Rating: 8.7
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"Verbing wierds language" - Calvin.
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Dr Jack
Member Posts: 3514 From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch Joined: 07-14-2003 Member Rating: 8.7
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Message 67 of 164 (151024)
10-19-2004 5:34 AM
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Reply to: Message 66 by Rrhain 10-19-2004 4:45 AM
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You are wrong. I'd dig out references to Style manuals, but I really can't be bothered.
This message is a reply to: | | Message 66 by Rrhain, posted 10-19-2004 4:45 AM | | Rrhain has not replied |
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Dr Jack
Member Posts: 3514 From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch Joined: 07-14-2003 Member Rating: 8.7
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Message 95 of 164 (152754)
10-25-2004 10:37 AM
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Reply to: Message 91 by berberry 10-25-2004 4:59 AM
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Re: Malaprops you frequently hear in the South
'Up' should be used for north and 'down' for south. I believe the correct word is 'over' for east or west. But you get closer to the centre of the earth as you travel north, so going north should be down...
This message is a reply to: | | Message 91 by berberry, posted 10-25-2004 4:59 AM | | berberry has not replied |
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Dr Jack
Member Posts: 3514 From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch Joined: 07-14-2003 Member Rating: 8.7
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Message 96 of 164 (152755)
10-25-2004 10:40 AM
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Reply to: Message 85 by Rrhain 10-25-2004 1:32 AM
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Look at all of the variations of "god's wounds" we have out there such as "zounds" and "gadzooks." Actually, I believe "gadzooks" comes from "God's Hooks" refering to the nails that help Christ to the cross.
This message is a reply to: | | Message 85 by Rrhain, posted 10-25-2004 1:32 AM | | Rrhain has not replied |
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