Why have Double Negatives Become Fashionable?

[Brian R.]

Gurm - In your example, instead of saying

"Hmm! Not bad!"

it might be better to say that it is "pretty (or fairly) good".

A matter of judgement I guess.

(BTW, who was your previous avatar you had for months?)

[Tjalfe]

For double negatives, I hear this on way more often:
"I didn't say/do nothing"... which really is them saying that they did say /do something

[Wombat]

Originally posted by Brian R.
Gurm - In your example, instead of saying

"Hmm! Not bad!"

it might be better to say that it is "pretty (or fairly) good".

A matter of judgement I guess.

Actually, I'd say that "pretty good" has a more positive connotation than I'd like to use.

[Gurm]

Yep. It's ENTIRELY a matter of how negative or positive you want ot be.

"Not bad!" is a great way to be encouraging without being more positive about something than necessary.

- Gurm

[KvHagedorn]

I don't think a simple "not bad" is out of line, but when language becomes unclear because someone is timidly parsing his words like a veteran diplomat, that's where things become tedious very quickly.

[Gurm]

Oh I agree. There are many situations in which it is completely unnecessary to use these double negatives.

- Gurm

[Umfriend]

Reminds me of a discussion (that is what we call it when we are shouting at each other) with a lawyer who stated that:
"It is highly unlikely that event has not happened" was stronger than:
"It is highly likely that event has happened"
Umf

[The PIT]

"It is highly unlikely that event has not happened" was stronger than:

The problem comes when the person really means that the event hasn't happened and they don't understand what they've really said.

[cjolley]

It's not like using "not unlike not" is not noted for not making the knotty notations not not understandable, not!
chuck

[The PIT]

You've not being reading Yes Prime Minister have you??? Or are you Sir Humphrey in disguise??

[Brian R.]

It seems like there are some times when using this phraseology is appropriate, but not too long ago, no one talked like this. No matter how mild you want a compliment or description to be, it also seems there is usually a way of stating it without using "not" and the approximate negative of the descriptor.

[Gurm]

Negative connotations are considered stronger than positive ones.

That's what makes that first sentence STRONGER than the second one.

If you say "it's highly likely that Bob went to the store"... people say "ok but he might not have".

If you say "it's highly UNlikely that Bob didn't go to the store", more people will accept it.

We live in negative times.

- Gurm

[az]

Originally posted by Brian R.
[...] not too long ago [...]

AZ

[Brian R.]

What? Do I sound old or something???

Nevermind, I got it...

[Helevitia]

You forgot my favorite

I shit you not!

Dave