ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: Not for Nothing

Clive — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 14:25:40 GMT

Hi,

Not for nothing do many established professional writers consider that it is harder to write a good short story than a novel. Could you paraphrase it?

Many established professional writers do not consider for nothing that it is harder to write a good short story than a novel. In other words,

Many established professional writers do not consider for no reason that it is harder to write a good short story than a novel. In other words,

Many established professional writers have a reason to consider that it is harder to write a good short story than a novel. In other words,

Many established professional writers consider that it is harder to write a good short story than a novel.

Clive

Re: Not for Nothing

HSS — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 09:22:22 GMT

Clive wrote:

Not for nothing do many established professional writers consider that it is harder to write a good short story than a novel.

Best wishes, Clive

Hi, there.

I follow every example that you gave me but this. Could you paraphrase it, Clive?

Oh, okay, so the sentences is a positive statement ... okay, thanks, CJ.

Hiro

Re: Not for Nothing

CalifJim — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 03:21:13 GMT

This doesn't seem to be a case of the double negative. Or, is it?

It is a double negative, but not a double negative intended to be a single negative. It is therefore correct.
Only a double negative wrongly substituting for a single negative is a problem grammatically.
This one is intended to be a double negative with double negative meaning.

CJ

Re: Not for Nothing

Clive — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 00:55:02 GMT

Hi guys,

Not for nothing is the city a sister city of New York can be rephrased as

The city is not a sister city of New York for nothing. The meaning is that there is, indeed, a reason.

The double negative adds emphasis. For example,if someone asks me to help them with their English, I might say I don't work for nothing! (Not, alas, a principle that I follow on this forum)

The inverted word order adds a rather rhetorical flourish and style to the sentence.

You'll find a few examples of this via google, eg

Not for nothing do many established professional writers consider that it is harder to write a good short story than a novel.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Not for Nothing

Goodman — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 17:07:24 GMT

Hi all,

To be honest, I've never seen or heard this before.

Re: Not for Nothing

HSS — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 12:55:12 GMT

Hi, Jay.

Thanks for your thought. Yes, let's just await what others think. A quick Googling found so many similar examples.

Correction: as it is so clear "beggining" should have been "beginning" in my first post. I knocked the query up in no time as I sped out of my office.

Hiro

Re: Not for Nothing

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 12:53:55 GMT

Hi, Jay.

Thanks for your thought. Yes, let's just await what other think. A quick Googling found so many similar examples.

Correction: as it is so clear "beggining" should have been "beginning" in my first post. I knocked the query up in no time as I sped out of my office.

Re: Not for Nothing

Jay_zzz0 — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 10:34:51 GMT

Hi Hiro. I think the 'not' at the beginning of the sentence can be interpreted as a form of double negative.

'Not for nothing' sounds like 'there are some reasons behind' in your sentences. Let's see what others think.

Not for Nothing

HSS — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 10:13:14 GMT

Would you help me interpret the following? The sentence is inverted because "not" is placed at the very beggining. This doesn't seem to be a case of the double negative. Or, is it?

Not for nothing is she a former singer.

Not for nothing is the city a sister city of New York.

Hiro

Sendai, Japan