http://www.englishforums.com/English/GeneralEnglishGrammarQuestions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here.enCSMOD (Build: 3273.32735)http://www.englishforums.com/English/Nothing/kxcj/post.htm#53219Tue, 02 Nov 2004 12:35:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:53219MrPedantic0http://www.englishforums.com/English/Nothing/kxcj/post.htm#53219http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-53219.xmlHello MoH <br /> <br />As you say, it does in fact mean 'never saw anything like <br />this'. The double negative is used in very informal <br />speech to add emphasis, e.g. <br /> <br />'You ain't seen nothing yet' [= you have not seen anything yet] <br />'You ain't nothing but a hound dog' [= you are nothing but a hound dog] <br />'You ain't going nowhere' [= you are not going anywhere] <br />'I never saw no one' [= I didn't see anyone] <br /> <br />This shouldn't be confused with the literary double negative, <br />where the negatives cancel each other out, e.g. <br /> <br />'It cannot be said that I am not a patient man' [= 'it can be <br />said that I am a patient man']. <br /> <br />To decide whether a double negative belongs to the first or <br />second kind, you have to look at the context (e.g. is this the <br />kind of person who would use an emphatic double negative?). <br /> <br />There ain't no other way, unfortunately. <br /> <br />MrPhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Nothing/kxbb/post.htmTue, 02 Nov 2004 09:11:32 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:53194Manohonor1http://www.englishforums.com/English/Nothing/kxbb/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-53194.xmlHi, <br /> <br />Would you please explain me the following phrase: <br /> <br />NEVER SAW NOTHING LIKE THIS <br /> <br />Why not ANYTHING? <br /> <br />Thanks. <br /> <br />