Search results for 'tag:Negatives tag:Intonations' matching tags 'Negatives' and 'Intonations'

Re: sarcastic meaning

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:09:53 GMT

In most conversations, when the speaker is being sarcastic, it will be very clear. The first case, "This is really delicious food," would most likely be said when the food in question is very obviously NOT good. In a lot of cases, this will be accompanied by intonation and facial expression that suggest scorn or derision, or general negative feelings. However, a person can also be sarcastic using positive intonation in a manner that makes it clear that the speaker is faking. Some people, on the other hand, have a very dry sense of humor and will offer almost no clues, intonation or facial expression, to make it clear that he or she is using sarcasm. In the last case, the speaker will rely on either the context or the listener's familiarity with the speaker. (I tend to be like the third one.)

The second case, "this job is the worst, isn't it?" is a lot easier. Here, the speaker says something negative in a very positive way. It is usually intoned more like a positive statement than a question. Again, there are exceptions, and some people will, for example, pretend the job IS "the worst" and rely on an obviously pleasant situation to make it clear that he or she is kidding.

Re: tag questions

Tanit — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:57:04 GMT

Hi,

I've found a couple of threads about positive statement + positive question tag. Maybe you'll find them helpful.

http://www.englishforums.com/English/AffirmativeAffirmativeQuestion/zldvg/post.htm#472598 (this also deals with intonation)
http://www.englishforums.com/English/SameWayQuestionTag/czmnz/Post.htm (native speakers here explain that negative statement + negative question tag sounds weird)

EDIT: When I started typing, Clive's reply was not there. Sorry! I'm so slow

Re: suppose so...

Heidita — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:53:33 GMT

Victorycountry wrote:

Hi,

Does 'suppose' has a bit negative meaning?

The following example is from a English learners book,

Tim: Are you ready to go?

Jane: I suppose so ( meaning = I don't want to go but I supppose that I am ready to go)

Then what about this one:

e.g.

I suppose you didn't see the notebook on the table, little boy?

Does it mean ' I didn't want you to see the notebook but I suppose you did, little boy?'

I understand the meaning of 'hope', 'guess' and etc...but it's that I haven't still clearly understood about usage of 'suppose'.

Am I getting understanding it here?

Thanks in advance.

Interesting question, Victory. Here it is all a matter of intonation.

In the second situation, the woman is asking A: Listen, little boy, there was a notebook on the table, so where is it now? (insinuating that he has taken it!!)

The intonation is slightly sarcastic, as one understands that the boy HAS actually seen or taken the notebook.

cheers

Re: Politeness using negative questions

Kooyeen — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:25:00 GMT

CalifJim wrote:

Here's my take (exaggerated for illustrative purposes):
Don't you have some books for me?
is a reminder. It can be said with eagerness. You are supposed to have some books for me. You said you had some books for me, but I don't see them in your hands. Did you accidentally leave them in the car when you came in? I'll bet you did.
Don't you have any books for me?
is a statement of disappointment and a mild reprimand. It could be said as if pouting. You always bring me books when you visit. Why haven't you brought any this time? Don't you like me anymore?

Yes, those work too, in those contexts. The general meaining is that, then subtle variations depend on the context... and let's not forget intonation! You know, negative questions are not really a simple subject for a non-native, on second thought, LOL. But what's most important is that I understand, and that I've found out this difference between English and Italian that could have become dangerous.

Thank you so much again for your help.

Re: Politeness using negative questions

Kooyeen — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:09:09 GMT

Aaaargh! Is it really so different in English? I'm going to go crazy if I have to be careful of this difference too. I've never paid attention to this.

GG wrote: >>You are assuming that what you want will be given to you, not politely requesting it.

So do negative questions always sound like you're insisting, or that you think you are right? They sound that way in Italian too, but they also have another meaning, which becomes clear in the right context and with the right intonation.

Meaning 1: Look in that drawer. Don't you have a corkscrew there? (=> I think you have, I saw it there last time)
Meaning 2: Don't you have a corkscrew, by any chance? I'd like to open this bottle. (=> I'm merely asking if you have a corkscrew, sounding indirect, as if it wasn't really important if you have one, because that sounds like I'm ready to get a negative answer)

If you say that you can't be polite with negative questions, then I don't understand this example I read: "I'm working then. Couldn't you postpone the trip till next month?" - Is that not polite? I thought it was given as an example of "politeness", as a way to sound less direct than "Could you postpone the trip till next month?"

Idea! Maybe that only works with modals and with requests, not permissions? So couldn't you, wouldn't you, won't you, can't you... are used for politeness, but can't I, couldn't I, don't you, aren't you... only sound like you're insisting, which is the opposite of being polite?

Thanks a lot again

Re: A few grammer doubts.

Simi — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 06:08:53 GMT

Kooyeen wrote:
What is it that you don't understand, Simi?

"I don't have no money" can mean "I have no money = I don't have any money". This is the usual and common meaning of a double negative, the usual meaning of the double negatives you hear in songs, for example. Examples:
I ain't got no reason to lie = I have no reason to lie = I don't have any reason to lie
You haven't seen nothing = You have seen nothing = You haven't seen anything.

"I don't have no money" can also mean "I have some money, it is not true that I don't have any money", although this use of double negatives is not as common as the above. This would have a different stress and often a different intonation from the other kind of double negative. An example could be this (from a TV series):
Stan: It's about your movie. We don't like "The Passion"
Mel Gibson: What? You can't not like "The Passion", because it's about Jesus Christ! Everybody loves Jesus Christ! (note: the underlined "not" is stressed with the voice)

You mean one negative out of the two is dropped off the sentence when it comes to the analysis of the sentence's meaning?

Re: A few grammer doubts.

Kooyeen — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 21:31:16 GMT

What is it that you don't understand, Simi?

"I don't have no money" can mean "I have no money = I don't have any money". This is the usual and common meaning of a double negative, the usual meaning of the double negatives you hear in songs, for example. Examples:
I ain't got no reason to lie = I have no reason to lie = I don't have any reason to lie
You haven't seen nothing = You have seen nothing = You haven't seen anything.

"I don't have no money" can also mean "I have some money, it is not true that I don't have any money", although this use of double negatives is not as common as the above. This would have a different stress and often a different intonation from the other kind of double negative. An example could be this (from a TV series):
Stan: It's about your movie. We don't like "The Passion"
Mel Gibson: What? You can't not like "The Passion", because it's about Jesus Christ! Everybody loves Jesus Christ! (note: the underlined "not" is stressed with the voice)

Re: A few grammer doubts.

Simi — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 18:16:11 GMT

Kooyeen wrote:
Hi Simi,
double negatives can have two meanings: negative + negative = positive, or negative + negative = negative.
It all depends on stress and intonation:

- Again, tell me how much money you have...
- I said I don't have no money... (<-- I don't have any money = negative)
- You don't have no money, you liar! Come on, tell me, we need that money, man... (<-- It is not true that you don't have any money = positive)

Those two are pronounced with different intonation and different stress. I'm not sure how to explain it, mainly because I still really suck at sentence stress, but I think in the first "have" and "money" are stressed, in the second "don't" and "no".

I am not able to follow you.

Re: A few grammer doubts.

Goodman — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 16:35:20 GMT

Kooyeen wrote:
Hi Simi,
double negatives can have two meanings: negative + negative = positive, or negative + negative = negative.
It all depends on stress and intonation:

- Again, tell me how much money you have...
- I said I don't have no money... (<-- I don't have any money = negative)
- You don't have no money, you liar! Come on, tell me, we need that money, man... (<-- It is not true that you don't have any money = positive)

Those two are pronounced with different intonation and different stress. I'm not sure how to explain it, mainly because I still really suck at sentence stress, but I think in the first "have" and "money" are stressed, in the second "don't" and "no".

I don't have no money.
You don't have no money.

Both expressions above are of ghetto variety. To be grammatically correct, it should be "I don't have any money", or " I have no money".

We use double negative sometimes to illustrate a point. i.e. "It's not uncommon to see people in their 30's begging for money at intersections in this city". This means, it's common.

Re: A few grammer doubts.

Kooyeen — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:26:30 GMT

Hi Simi,
double negatives can have two meanings: negative + negative = positive, or negative + negative = negative.
It all depends on stress and intonation:

- Again, tell me how much money you have...
- I said I don't have no money... (<-- I don't have any money = negative)
- You don't have no money, you liar! Come on, tell me, we need that money, man... (<-- It is not true that you don't have any money = positive)

Those two are pronounced with different intonation and different stress. I'm not sure how to explain it, mainly because I still really suck at sentence stress, but I think in the first "have" and "money" are stressed, in the second "don't" and "no".