Hardly not
"There is even less support in the Lords for Brexit than in the Commons and they will contest all those clauses contested in the Commons, and probably quite a few more. It can hardly not be clear to the Lords that this was in the manifesto and endorsed in a referendum and the case for the non-elected house making an attempt that could be seen as derailing it beyond what the Commons does is not likely to go down well in public opinion.” (The Guardian.)
Does the double negation "hardly not" mean "very" in the passage above?
Top answer
it can hardly not be clear >>> it must be clear or by implication it must be very clear
- it can hardly not be clear >>> it must be clear or by implication it must be very clear
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it can hardly not be clear>>> it must be clear or by implication it must be very clear
0No, it doesn't mean "very".
"It can hardly not be clear" means that "It cannot be clear" is hardly possible, i.e. it must be clear, or must almost certainly be clear.
(Cross-posted.)
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