Chapter IX. MISCELLANEOUS Double Negatives. In old English, double negatives abound; but the best modern usage condemns them. If the order of words in the last two sentences as originally written be changed, -e. g., "I don't think he won't be chosen," "I don't think he did n't eat any dinner,” the double negative becomes apparent. I. She had written but once. If he had been my own brother, I could have done but one thing. The references in these letters can be construed in but one way. I have seen her but once. II. She had never written but once. If he had been my own brother I could not do but one thing. The references in these letters cannot be construed but in one way. I have not seen her but once. "But" does so much work, and in so many ways, that in a given sentence its exact function may be obscure. In these examples, "but" is the equivalent of "only." Few, however, even of those who write "I have not seen her but once," would write "I have not seen her only once." "Only" seems to bring out the double negative more plainly than "but." Other examples of double negatives are In the last example, "no" belongs with both "time" and "inclination." Nor doubles the negative, and is therefore incorrect. I. The best writers for children never use a condescending tone, which only irritates, or the tone which just escapes being condescending. II. The best writers for children never use a condescending tone, which only irritates, nor the tone which just escapes being condescending. If "either" be inserted before "a condescending tone," it becomes apparent that "or," not nor, is the proper conjunction before "the tone." I. That did no good either. That did n't do any good either. II. That did no good neither. Neither at the end of a negative sentence used to be, but is not now, in good use, It has shared the fate of other double negatives. "Either" at the end of a negative sentence is good colloquial English. Of the two forms given under I., the second is preferable to the first, because, like a line in Browning's "Before," Still one must n't be too much in earnest either, – it is wholly in colloquial language. Beware of destroying a negative by doubling it. Can but and Cannot but.-These expressions, though often used interchangeably, differ in meaning. If worst comes to worst, I can but die. The fever is so violent that, without a miracle, he cannot but die. "I can but die " means that I can only die, that all I can do is to die; "he cannot but die " means that he cannot help dying, that he cannot live. "Can but," "could but," "cannot but," "could not but" are properly used in the following passages: "You can manage to climb over that wall?" "I can but try." “Well, I can but do my best for them," said Kate, with a sigh. He will seem a fit man for the managers to run, if he can but persuade the managers to run him. If the doctor could but have seen it! Lucilla could act but according to her own nature. You cannot but love her. She could not but appreciate the readiness with which her desires were attended to. Yet, at the same time, she could not but sigh at the thought of Mr. Cavendish. "Can but" brings before the mind only one possibility; "cannot but" suggests two opposite courses, but affirms that in the case in hand only one of these is possible. I. With all your modesty, you cannot but realize that you are a very welcome guest. II. With all your modesty you can but realize that you are a very welcome guest. "You cannot but realize that you are" means you cannot help realizing that you are, you cannot believe that you are not. "You can but realize that you are" means you can only realize, you cannot do more than realize, that you are. "Cannot but" is, therefore, preferable to can but. I. I cannot but feel that some thing is wrong. II. I cannot help but feel that I cannot help feeling that some- something is wrong. thing is wrong. He could not but speak. He could not help speaking. He could not help but speak. "He could not but speak" is equivalent to "He could not help speaking." Help in "He could not help but speak" is tautological. Distinguish between CAN BUT and CANNOT BUT. Additional Examples. Under this head are placed examples similar to those given in the foregoing chapters. Some of them raise more than one question. I. The place is very near the house of Mr. Darcy's aunt, whom he visits every year, and with whom he is now staying. When we had ourselves done eating, the knight called a waiter to him and bade him carry what was left to the watermen. The highest flood level will probably be reached to-morrow. II. The place is very near the house of Mr. Darcy's aunt, who he visits every year and where he is now stopping. When we had done eating ourselves the knight called a waiter to him and bid him carry the remainder to the watermen. The highest flood level will likely be attained to-morrow. I. Every time she heard a carriage coming, she thought it was his. There are two women in the room- one a mere girl, with fair hair and white face; the other a woman about thirty years old, with coarse features. The choice can be made only by a comparison with similar characters in real life. I am continually struck with the difference between our civilization and that of Europe, as regards taste in public buildings. To my thinking, "The Recluse " is superior to "The Excursion." From one hand still hung the French novel, the reading of which had been interrupted by my entrance. The number of girls who keep up their education is as large as the number of boys, and in many places larger. You feel as if everything were out of joint, and as if the world were going to the dogs. It is difficult for an untrained person to distinguish between what he himself saw and what he was told by others, unless his attention is specially directed to the distinction. There was a storm brewing, he said. II. Every time she heard a team coming, she thought it was his. There are two women in the room. The one a mere girl with fair hair and white face; the other about thirty with coarse features. The choice can be made alone by the analogy of similar characters in real life. I am continually struck with the difference in our civilization from the European with regard to our taste in public buildings. "The Recluse" is superior to my thinking than the "Ex cursion." From one hand still hung pendent the French novel the perusal of which my advent had interrupted. The number of girls who continue their education is as large, in many places larger, than that of the boys. You feel as if everything were out of joint and that the world was going to the dogs. It is difficult for an untrained person to distinguish between what they themselves saw and what they were told by others, unless their attention is specially directed to the distinction. There was a storm brewing up, he said. |