Discussion Groups / English Usage / August 2007

WE visited Selborne a few years ago, very interesting.
Gilbert was messing about musing over his hedgehogs
and swifts diving into ponds for the winter, while
things like the American Revolution were happening.

   Gilbert White, a favourite author, wrote 9 March 1773
   a double negative phrase to treasure in any anthology
   of quotations:
   "He will not, it is to be hoped, unndertake that tour
   unaccompanied by a botanist, because the mooutains
   have scarcely been sufficiently examined."

But I understood that at the first reading.
It is Fowler, the lay-it-on saint of this group,
that offers incomprehensible triple negatives;
or worse, two negatives plus two half negatives;
and if we count half-snide remarks as half negatives,
then how complex does Fowler get?

--                       ---------------------------------------------
Richard Maurer              To reply, remove half
Sunnyvale, California       of a homonym of a synonym for also.
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