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Author Topic:   Linguistic Pet Peeves
Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.7


Message 27 of 164 (150673)
10-18-2004 6:42 AM
Reply to: Message 14 by Tony650
10-18-2004 4:07 AM


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.

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 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
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Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.7


Message 36 of 164 (150712)
10-18-2004 10:13 AM
Reply to: Message 35 by Tony650
10-18-2004 10:07 AM


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.

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 Message 35 by Tony650, posted 10-18-2004 10:07 AM Tony650 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


Message 40 of 164 (150717)
10-18-2004 10:28 AM
Reply to: Message 34 by Dan Carroll
10-18-2004 10:06 AM


ATM machine.
See also: PIN number, SAT test, and so on.
All of which are the correct grammatical usage. Sorry.

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 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


Message 42 of 164 (150719)
10-18-2004 10:39 AM
Reply to: Message 41 by Tony650
10-18-2004 10:33 AM


Formal grammar, no; the actual grammar of English, yes.
Real grammar describes the structure of the language; formal grammar proscribes it.

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Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.7


Message 46 of 164 (150746)
10-18-2004 11:51 AM
Reply to: Message 45 by Gastric ReFlux
10-18-2004 11:50 AM


Bravo!

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 Message 45 by Gastric ReFlux, posted 10-18-2004 11:50 AM Gastric ReFlux has replied

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 Message 47 by Gastric ReFlux, posted 10-18-2004 12:09 PM Dr Jack has replied

  
Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.7


Message 48 of 164 (150754)
10-18-2004 12:20 PM
Reply to: Message 47 by Gastric ReFlux
10-18-2004 12:09 PM


"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


Message 67 of 164 (151024)
10-19-2004 5:34 AM
Reply to: Message 66 by Rrhain
10-19-2004 4:45 AM


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

  
Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.7


Message 95 of 164 (152754)
10-25-2004 10:37 AM
Reply to: Message 91 by berberry
10-25-2004 4:59 AM


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...

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Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.7


Message 96 of 164 (152755)
10-25-2004 10:40 AM
Reply to: Message 85 by Rrhain
10-25-2004 1:32 AM


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:
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