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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3
stranger
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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?
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
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...
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290 |
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.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
This is also common in upstate New York, at least in the Finger Lakes region.
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 876
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 876 |
I've lived all my life in said Finger Lakes region, and have never, ever heard that!
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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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.
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3
stranger
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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
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3 |
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