Double negatives occur when two negative words are used in the same sentence. In Standard English, this usually creates a positive meaning (called a litotes), but in many dialects, double negatives are used for emphasis and reinforce the negation instead of canceling out.
- Double negatives use two negative elements in one sentence.
- In Standard English, double negatives make a positive.
- In some dialects, double negatives are used for emphasis and keep the negative meaning.
Using two negatives together in Standard English creates a positive meaning.
In some dialects like African American Vernacular English and many Romance languages such as Spanish and French, double negatives are used for emphasis and do not cancel out.
Standard English: Negation Cancels Out
In Standard English, two negatives equal a positive. Using two negative words together often removes the negative meaning and turns it into a positive, which can lead to confusion or awkwardness.
- Two negatives make a positive in Standard English.
- Double negatives can confuse or change the intended meaning.
Examples
| Sentence | Explanation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I don’t have any money. | Single negative (don’t) + negative word (any) | Correct negative |
| I don’t need no help. | (Don’t + no) = double negative | Should mean positive (“I do need help”), but intended as negative in some dialects |
| She isn’t never late. | (Isn’t + never) = double negative | Corrected: “She is never late.” (Negative) |
In Standard English, 'I don’t need no help' would mean 'I do need help' because the negatives cancel each other out.
Correct negatives use only one negative element: 'I don’t have any money.' and 'She isn’t ever late.'
Dialects and Other Languages: Emphatic Negation
In some English dialects and many other languages, double negatives are grammatically correct and used to strengthen the negation instead of canceling out.
- Some dialects use double negatives for emphasis.
- This usage is common in many Romance and Slavic languages.
English Dialects
In dialects like African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and some regional British English varieties, double negatives reinforce the negation and are standard.
- Double negatives equal a stronger negative.
- Common in AAVE and some regional dialects.
Example:
| Dialect | Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| AAVE | I ain’t got no time. | I don’t have any time (strong negation) |
| Standard English | I don’t have any time. | (Single negation) |
In dialects like AAVE, 'I ain’t got no time' means 'I don’t have any time.' The double negative is emphatic, not canceling.
Double Negatives in Other Languages
In many languages, such as Spanish, French, and Russian, double (or multiple) negatives are correct and compulsory for negation.
- Negatives multiply for emphasis/necessity.
- Not considered "double negative" in the same way.
Spanish
- No veo nada. (I don’t see anything.)
- No + nada = double negative, but correct.
French
- Je ne vois rien. (I don’t see anything.)
- Ne + rien = double negative, but correct.
Spanish, French, and Russian use double negatives as correct grammar.
Conclusion
Double negatives are a fascinating part of language that show how grammar and meaning can change between dialects and languages.
- In Standard English, double negatives create a positive meaning.
- In some dialects, double negatives are used for emphasis and keep the negative meaning.
- Many languages use double negatives correctly to express a single negation.
Double negatives create a positive meaning in Standard English.
An emphatic double negative in dialect is: 'I ain’t got no money.'
'I don’t have any friends.' and 'She isn’t going anywhere.' are correct. The others have double negatives.