[title]Family quotes[/title] [description]Welcome to our family quotes section! Here you'll find some of the funniest (and wisest) quotes on the subject of family life![/description]
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Latest post Tue, Sep 12 2006 5:39 PM by Grammar Geek. 2 replies.
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Waterbaby  +  266000 Tue, 12 Sep 06 05:14 PM

Contractions..doesn't, aren't, won't, shouldn't....

When questions are posed in this format I find it very difficult to respond in a positive manner! For example, when someone says "Doesn't it drive you crazy when ....?".....well, when it doesn't drive you crazy how can one respond? The format seems to invite negativity. For example, "Don't you have your homework done?, indirectly presumes the work is not done whereas"DO you have your homework done?" is so much less intimidating and allows for a reponse that is not defensive in nature.

DO you feel the defensiveness and negaivity I'm refering to?

Joined on Tue, Sep 12 2006
New Member 02
Yoong Liat, 3 yr 75 days ago

I would respond by saying, "No, it doesn't."

Grammar Geek  +  266018 Tue, 12 Sep 06 05:39 PM

When the question is phrased with the negative (don't you, doesn't he), it shows an assumption on the part of the speaker that he or she is correct. It can also be used to show surprise.  I don't think the phrasing makes it "negative" in the emotional sense, but the assumption the person has made can be offensive. (In other words, blame the person asking, not the grammar.)

And, as said above, you simply smile and say "No, not at all." or "No, not yet."

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006
Veteran Member 19,683
Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!
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