Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Right Wing Professor
Oh dear. So why does double negation result in an affirmative in English, but a negative in Russian, if these correspond to universal principles?

Because both English and Russian speakers recognize the underlying principles of negation and affirmation. The specifics are irrelevant, otherwise English speakers and Russian speakers would be unable to communicate the notions of affirmation and negation, and you would be unable in principle to pose your problem.

139 posted on 12/07/2005 12:47:39 PM PST by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 125 | View Replies ]


To: Aquinasfan
The specifics are irrelevant, otherwise English speakers and Russian speakers would be unable to communicate the notions of affirmation and negation, and you would be unable in principle to pose your problem.

So the law of grammar that says that a double negation is an affirmation is not a universal law, although it is a law of English grammar. So did God give us the laws of English grammar?

148 posted on 12/07/2005 12:57:39 PM PST by Right Wing Professor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 139 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson