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>Hallo:
>
>My opinion is that, in the English language and not maths or programming, a
>double negative is *not* equal to a positive. A double negative reinforces
>the negative.
>
>However, I avoid double negatives, even in technical writing <g>.
>Furthermore, I also strive to only use positive statements, rather than
>negative ones, usually by using the word "only." (That shows my position on
>the other "grammar question du jour, doesn't it"?)
>
>All the best.
My opinion is that you can use X's instead of C's whenever you xhoose to do
so. :-)
Double negatives work in English the way they do in math. The first
negative reverses the point of the phrase: "He is not stupid." A second
negative reverses the first: "I disagree -- he is not not stupid."
One clear point is that double negatives are usually confusing or indicative
of style problems. Perhaps their most appropriate use is when NOT doing
something seems the logical thing to do, but is incorrect. Even in this
case, a rewrite is probably the best approach.
Paul Strasser
Not not working for Windsor Technologies
Louisville CO
