• Home
  • About
  • SDGs Open Lesson Plans
Get Great English

Helping improve your English. © Marc Jones 2014-2022

Don’t Use No Double Negatives

7 October 2014 by Marc

double_negatives

In some languages, to make a negative statement you use a negative determiner and negative verb. English uses only one negative, unless we take a look at the vernacular (slang, basically) or how people might talk at home.

I can’t get no satisfaction

English teachers might point out that if getting no satisfaction is impossible then actually, you can get no satisfaction. If it is satisfaction that is impossible, then one ought to say “I can’t get any satisfaction.”

However, absolutely every English native speaker knows what the meaning of the chorus of the song ‘Satisfaction’ means.

Ain’t nobody misunderstanding?

No, nobody is misunderstanding. There are two reasons: word stress and context.

When someone says something with a double negative like “I don’t want nobody interrupting me” the words stressed are ‘nobody’ and ‘interrupting’. This stress itself sends a pretty clear message

In context (in a situation) it is even easier to understand. Who would state that they wanted somebody to interrupt? It is much likelier for someone to warn against interrupting.

You never use no double negatives, do you?

Me? Never. However, I do understand exactly what people mean when they use them.

I don’t recommend that people use them because most learners need to use correct, Standard English in general situations. Understanding double negatives can give you an idea of the level of formality someone is using or how streetwise they wish to appear.

The reason Mick Jagger uses the double negative in ‘Satisfaction’ may be because he wants to seem more authentic as a blues-rock musician rather than somebody who attended the prestigious London School of Economics.

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • More
  • Reddit
  • Pocket
  • LinkedIn
Posted in: Grammar Tagged: doublenegatives, negatives, slang, vernacular

Archives

  • July 2022
  • May 2020
  • March 2018
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • October 2016
  • April 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014

Categories

  • Grammar
  • Input
  • Links
  • Listening
  • Output
  • Podcast
  • Pronunciation
  • Reading
  • Situation
  • Speaking
  • Students
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Vocabulary
  • Writing

Recent Posts

  • SDGs Open Lesson Plans
  • Understanding IELTS Free Courses
  • Protected: Orthodontics – Extraction vocabulary quiz
  • Relaunching Soon
  • TOEFL Challenge 1

Twitter

Tweets by @getgreatenglish

I’m on Facebook

I’m on Google+

Go to the Google+ page.

Get Great English on Stitcher Radio

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2023 Get Great English.

Omega WordPress Theme by ThemeHall