Conference thebay::joyoflex

Richard,

I think I am quite positive about not fulfilling completely your desire to find
out whether double-positives can have a negative meaning.

But since somebody told me that two negatives are positive (didn't you confirm
that?), what about the following sentence:

" It did not happen that no unintended puns were left untold "

I will go on vacation by the end of october, so after that I may have figured
out what this sentence means. Does it also happen to you that you come up with
sentences you yourself doesn't understand? Or do you think I will be needing
professional help? ^v)

Arie

    In mathematics, two negatives make a positive. 
    
    In English, two negatives generally reinforce each other. When
    somebody says, "I ain't goin' down no dark alley alone," they mean
    they aren't going. 
    
    --bonnie

    Re .2
    
>   In mathematics, two negatives make a positive.
    
    The _product_ of two negatives makes a positive . The sum of two
    negatives reinforces . You just ask my bank manager !
    
    John J

        "If you can't trust your banker who can you trust?"

    
    I guess you can't not say that bank managers are trustworthy (I
    hope!)
    

Re: .2

> When somebody says, "I ain't goin' down no dark alley alone," they
> mean they aren't going. 

Yes, this seems true.  But remember that that kind of usage originated 
in the jive slang of the uneducated black poor, and it does not fairly
represent the English language.  Sure, I know, it cummunicates; what's 
more, it is now a recognized dialect.

- Dick

    re: .6
    
    That's not even true.  The reinforced negative has been in use in
    the English language since at least 860 a.d. and probably earlier.
    Among the writers who used the reinforced negative form are
    Chaucer, the Pearl poet, Shakespeare, Milton, and Virginia Woolf. 
    
    "Ain't" was the acceptable form of "am not" for the upper classes,
    especially in Britain, until at least WWII.  (It may still be, for
    all I know, but Dorothy Sayers hasn't written any novels about
    titled detectives recently...) 
    
    --bonnie 

    Tossin' ain'ts about, droppin' gees at the ends of words, and the like
    was, in fact acceptable -- if what you mean by acceptable is that the
    rich did it, which is what most people in fact mean. 
    
    However, it ain't really standard -- doin' these things was always
    considered a bit of a jaunty affectation. The linguistic equivalent of
    drivin' a sports car. 
    
    	Jon

    But my original question asked for double positives -- why is
    everyone coming up with multiple negatives? 
    
    Do try harder, won't you?
                         
    Richard.

Re -1

>    Do try harder, won't you?
                         
Richard,

you *do* mean "do try harder, *WILL* you"; do you?

;^);^)
Arie

    I do, do I? Yes, I do do that.
    
    Richard.

    
    You tell me what the positive representation of 'not' is , and 
    maybe I can . Oh indeed , certainly , yes .
    
    John J     |^)

    Such and such will happen when hell freezes over.

    G'day,
    
    
    how's about
    
    It will take forever and ever.
    
    It will take forever and a day
    
    There is only one little bug to clear.
    
    This product is  'new and improved'
    
    djw
    

     The check really truly is in the mail!

    I'm almost pretty sure the project will be on time!
    
    -Brian

    I absolutely, postively put the check in the mail.
    			 ...will call you tomorrow.
    			 ...etc.

    Some big stores in the States claim they sell:  MOST EVERYTHING
    
    I suppose "most" here stands for 'almost' ? Otherwise, the
    expression is so positively positive that it makes you wonder
    if they sell anything at all.
    
    roger

I finally may have found one.
When the bank director tells you:
"You have absolutely a lot of money",
it's time you start worrying...........

Arie

    You absolutely have just GOT to see the photos Harry's taken of
    of our last vacation!

    Negative double-positives:
    
    Very unique.
    Quite certain.
    Very creative.
    Fully programmable.
    
    Negative single-positives:
    
    Oh, sure.
    Oh, great.
    Fat chance.
    Debugged.
    Internationalized.
    
    I'm from the government and I'm here to help you.
    The project is 90% finished.
    That's a feature.
    [And if you don't like it,] you can always write another shell.
    According to ______[pick one]_____, blah blah blah
                       ANSI
                       K&R
                       The manual
                       The salesperson
                       The engineer's manager