"Nothing could be further from the truth"

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Armsys

#502049 Fri, 18 Apr 08 01:52 AM

"Northing could be further from the truth" becomesa popular expression. What exactly does it mean and why is written in such a complicated manner (double negative)?

Thanks.

Armstrong

Armsys

Joined on Thu, Jul 27 2006

Hong Kong

Junior Member (91)

Expressions, Negatives

Clive

#502053 Fri, 18 Apr 08 02:02 AM

Hi,

Nothing could be further from the truth" becomesa popular expression. It's been a standard expression for a long time.

What exactly does it mean It means that the thing you are talking about is as far away from the truth as it is possible to be. ie it's completely untrue.

and why is written in such a complicated manner (double negative)? It's not really very complicated. It's just a hyperbolic, emphatic way of speaking.

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (19,491)

El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

Expressions, Negatives

Grammar Geek

#502054 Fri, 18 Apr 08 02:04 AM

It means it is so far from being the truth that nothing could be less true. It's not mostly true, or partly true, but not at all true.

It's as far from the truth as possible.

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (14,781)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Armsys

#502057 Fri, 18 Apr 08 02:19 AM

Hi Clive & Grammar Geek,

Thanks for catching my typo error.

Thanks for your responding my post in seconds.

Thanks for your illuminating explanation.

However, Grammar Geek's "nothing could be less true" is more complicated than the original expression "nothing is further from the truth." Why couldn't it be plainly expressed as "nothing is true," I wonder.

Armstrong

Armsys

Expressions, Grammar

Grammar Geek

#502058 Fri, 18 Apr 08 02:22 AM

That's not at all equivalent. Many things are true.

The thing being described is not true. It it completely untrue.

Sorry it wasn't helpful.

Grammar Geek

Armsys

#502205 Fri, 18 Apr 08 11:48 AM

Contacting the webmaster directly could be intellectually challenging here. Could the webmaster(s) be kind enough to correct the misspelled heading to "Nothing could be further from the truth"? Thanks.

Armstrong

Armsys

Grammar Geek

#502243 Fri, 18 Apr 08 01:17 PM

Any moderator can do that for you.

Grammar Geek