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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Speaking in the negative #193172 09/21/2010 12:38 PM Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 3 cdt stranger cdt stranger Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 3 I have come across a peculiar use of the negative form in northern and central Vermont, USA For example First person - "I went to the Mall today" Second person's response - "So didn't I" While logically this seems to be saying that the second person did not go to the Mall (and that the first person didn't either), somehow it is understand to mean that the second person did in fact go to the Mall. How can this be? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Speaking in the negative cdt #193174 09/21/2010 1:23 PM Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Vermont Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Vermont welcome, cdt! and welcome to another Vermonter! I, too, have heard this, and always just chalked it up to ignorance. I don't mean ignorance as stupid, just someone that hasn't learned "proper" usage. formerly known as etaoin... Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Speaking in the negative cdt #193175 09/21/2010 1:39 PM Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh How can this be? Language Log had a posting about it last year: (link). They call the phenomenon overnegation. Ceci n'est pas un seing. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Speaking in the negative zmjezhd #193189 09/21/2010 11:32 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 This is also common in upstate New York, at least in the Finger Lakes region. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Speaking in the negative Faldage #193194 09/22/2010 1:42 AM Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 876 western NY twosleepy old hand twosleepy old hand Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 876 western NY I've lived all my life in said Finger Lakes region, and have never, ever heard that! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Speaking in the negative cdt #193200 09/22/2010 10:11 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Maybe it's more southern Finger Lakes. Come to think of it the folks I've heard it from are from the Binghamton area. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Speaking in the negative zmjezhd #193211 09/23/2010 7:53 PM Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 3 cdt stranger cdt stranger Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 3 Thank you for the link there is plenty of food for thought there. I feel such usage is perfectly proper and also understandable in context. Perhap's, as it has been pointed out to me, it is because I use similar expressions all the time . For example "I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't" meaning of course "I think they almost certainly will" I just am not sure how it can makes sense. Communication beyond grammer Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Speaking in the negative Buffalo Shrdlu #193212 09/23/2010 7:55 PM Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 3 cdt stranger cdt stranger Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 3 Thank you, Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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