<p>Since after all, if double negative = positive, don't they serve nothing but confusion? (especially when a string of words is embedded within the double negative?)</p>
<p>And do you really think that double negatives really enhance the "style" of conversation?</p>
<p>Case in point: Why not just replace "not incompatible"/"not entirely incompatible" with "compatible"?</p>
<p>Yes./*********/</p>
<p>They mean different things!</p>
<p>Double negatives are the bane of my existance. You try going to a school where the kids regularly say, "I ain't got no..."</p>
<p>^ I'm sorry.</p>
<p>The 'not un-' formation is funny. It makes people believe their writing has style.</p>
<p>Nah, we ain't gotta do none of that nutin'.</p>
<p>That's not unlike the problems I suffer from, hallie.</p>
<p>I love double negatives.</p>
<p>That is, I do not dislike them nor am I indifferent to them.</p>
<p>Linguistics teacher: In some languages, a double negative forms a negative. In others, a double negative forms a positive. But in no language does a double positive form a negative.</p>
<p>Student: Yeah, right.</p>
<p>(Source: the Internets.)</p>
<p>Source: my 7th grade math teacher (I remember!)</p>
<p>She blinded me with sCiEnCe!?!</p>
<p>Using double negatives sounds stupid, 'nuff said.</p>
<p>It works in math, why can't it carry over to English?</p>
<p>math > english</p>
<p>In English, double negatives are often discouraged. However, in French, it's not uncommon (hehe) for people to use double negatives. In fact, it's sometimes preferable to use double negatives.</p>
<p>Rockermcr, "it's not uncommon" is a perfect example of where double negatives SHOULD be used... it clarifies that normally it would be be "uncommon", but in france, it's "not uncommon"</p>
<p>Yes, double negatives are not always wrong/confusing. Case in point: not uncommon. That says something very different than "common", but if you were to erroneously think that a double negative is always a positive you might misunderstand it.</p>
<p>Litotes isn't a very nice word.</p>