What does the term "Double negative" mean?

Question

I've learned so much terminology as an aide to my fiction writing, but I'll always find terms which I don't know the meaning of.

Answer 1

A double negative refers to two negatives in a row which have the effect of "undoing" the grammatical meaning of the statement, typically formulated by "not" followed by a negating prefix (un, dis, in, im, etc) on the next word. e.g. He was not an unkind man - "not" counteracts "un" and the statement means "he was a kind man". Well sort of. I said "grammatical meaning" above because the intent can be a little bit different. For instance, one might say "He was not an unethical politician", which strictly means he was an ethical politician, but the intent would be to imply that although he didn't overtly lie, steal, etc., he always seemed to be able to arrange situations so they always turned out suiting his own personal better interests (the sort of expression that might be said with an upturned eyebrow).

Answer 2

A double negative is a no-no in the English language. To use a double negative makes you sound uneducated.

Negatives are words that mean "no" Examples are: no, none, ain't, nowhere, nothing, never, don't, doesn't, wouldn't, couldn't..... There are more, but I've had two glasses of wine, and can't really think of any others.

Anyhow, you can never use two of these words in a sentence. To do so would make you look uneducated. I mean, it's just awful. So remember; no double negatives, and no one gets hurt.

Answer 3

A double negative is the nonstandard usage of two negatives used in the same sentence so that they cancel each other and create a positive. In Shakespeare's day, double negatives were considered emphatic, but today, they are considered grammar mistakes.

Remembering that two negatives form a positive will help you to avoid the "double negative" grammar problem:


Negative + Negative = Positive
Negative + Positive = Negative

Answer 4

Tamund gave you a perfect example. A double negative is when you use two words together that are negative. Such as, "Don't have no" or "Aren't none" It really makes for a mouthful but is perfect dialect for an uneducated character. Most of mine talk this way!

Answer 5

A double negative occurs when two forms of negation are used in the same sentence. Examples of double negatives:

We don't need no education.
We don't need no thought control.
I can't hardly wait.
I can't get no sleep.
And don't nobody buy nothing.

Answer 6

Think of algebra, two negatives make a positive.
So if you are not going to say nothing.....(NOt and NOthing) then you WILL say something or anything..

It is like two phrases, I am not going to......."say nothing". therefore, I am going to...... "say something".

You would not put it like this...
I am not going to not speak. cuz that would sound silly. When you use a double negative, it too sounds silly.
I didn't tell him none of that.....therfore, I told him some of that.

I'm not going to eat none of your liver and onions....therefore I will eat SOME of your liver & onions.

Make some sense? Or does this all not make no sense? LOL!

Answer 7

a double negative is like saying not not. a double negative makes a positive statement, but a double positve does not make a negative. (except for yeah right)

Answer 8

If you use two negative words in a sentance, like "I don't got nothing," with "don't" and "nothing" being the negatives, the sentance actually means "I do have something." But the grammar is still incorrect.

Answer 9

Using more than one negative word (no, don't nothing, etc) in a sentance.

EX
"I don't know nothing!"

If you say that you do not know nothing, then you must know something. Double negative negate each other.

Answer 10

A double negative occurs when two forms of negation are used in the same sentence.

We don't need no education.
We don't need no thought control.

"I don't want nothing!"