Verified answer

In formal English, the use of "double negative" is to mean "positive", as in Chinese, e.g.

He is not an unreasonable person. 他不是一個不講道理的人。

He will not disagree with you. 他不會不同意你的。

It is not uncommon to see people litter. 看到人亂拋垃圾的情況並非不尋常。

However, in informal English, escpecially in oral conversation among youths and and the less educated, "nobody" and "nothing", and sometimes "no", are used with a negative auxiliary verb (eg. isn't, ain't, can't, don't) to mean negative:

e.g.

I don't know nothing,

He ain't nobody,

He can't see nothing

He won't eat no fish.

The above are popular informal usage, but are grammatically incorrect. The correct usage should be:

I don't know anything, or I know nothing.

He is nobody.

He can't see anything, or he can see nothing.

He won't eat any fish.

2012-03-05 03:13:51 補充：

In my college days in Canada, I worked part-time as a bus-boy in a country-club dining room. In the kitchen, the use of double negative (to mean affirmative" was the norm, but not in the dining room or the classroom.

2012-03-05 03:17:56 補充：

It is still the same today, that the use of "he ain't nobody" etc. is not appropriate among the educated, regardless of race. For example, Obama will not say that.

2013-02-25 08:26:27 補充：

Correcton:

Opinion 4:

Last sentence should be: In the kitchen, the use of double negative (to mean negative) was acceptable, but not in the dining room or the classroom.

說話功用如果是達意便可,那聽者明白就算沒錯了。

2012-03-03 11:20:02 補充：

這應是通識的目標之一,不要讀死書。雅虎不是課室試場,是生活交流之園地,各路人交雜的染缸,沒有壓力就好了。

Most people consider double negative in the same clause is incorrect.

1.

I didn't hear anything. ~ right

I didn't hear nothing. ~ wrong

2.

I know nothing about her. ~ right

I don't know anything about her. ~ right

I don't know nothing about her. ~ wrong

But double negatives are possible if we intend to make an affirmative:

I don’t know nothing about Etruscan history!

In spoken English, “nothing” is strongly stressed in this sentence.

You can use not before an adjective with a negative prefix.

Beggars are a not unusual sight on the streets of London.

The tap water is not unpleasant to drink.

Neither… nor 是例外,Two negative words are used together in the same clause.

An illiterate person is someone who can neither read nor write.

美國黑人常講, 不理文法. 講得多, 日子久了, 交談便用.包括 Puerto Rican

I don’t see nothing.

Man, No money, no talk.

I ain't get no money 是黑人英語。按正統文法是錯的。但文法不是死的。多人用，久了，就成文法。

1. 如果要講我咩都聽唔到, 應該要講.....

I didn't hear anything. 定係 I didn't hear nothing ？

I didn't hear anything.

2. 下面邊句啱?

I know nothing about her.

I don't know anything about her.

I don't know nothing about her.

1，2 都啱 。 3 錯。

2012-02-20 10:30:26 補充：

3 雖然是錯，但有黑人確是這樣說的。你不是黑人，就省省吧。