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Victor_amelkin Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

"it can not be true" vs. "it can be not true"

Hello,

Could you please clarify the following point for me. I want to express an idea
that something can be untrue, while being able also to be true. I usually express
it in quite a straighforward way:

(i) "this can be not true"

but it is usually corrected into the following wording

(ii) "this can not be true".

Q1: Is the variant (i) gramatically incorrect?

The question arises since I find these two phrases having different meanings:

"this can be not true" = this can be untrue; but this also may be true

"this can not be true" = on no account this is true; for sure it's untrue

Q2: Do you agree with my interpretations of these expressions?

Thanks in advance.

--

Victor
  

Top answer

victor_amelkin Hello, The question arises since I find these two phrases having different meanings: "this can be not true" = this can be untrue; but this also may be true "this can not be true" = on no account this is true; for sure it's untrue Q2: Do you agree with my interpretations of these expressions? I agree, absolutely. However, there are those who insist that the proper spelling is either "can't" or "cannot".

— Philip

  • victor_amelkin Hello, The question arises since I find these two phrases having different meanings: "this can be not true" = this can be untrue; but this also may be true "this can not be true" = on no account this is true; for sure it's untrue Q2: Do you agree with my interpretations of these expressions?
  • I agree, absolutely.
  • However, there are those who insist that the proper spelling is either "can't" or "cannot".
  • I'm not sure where this idea comes from, and I don't particularly like the idea that "can not" is incorrect.
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2 Answers
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victor_amelkinHello,

The question arises since I find these two phrases having different meanings:

"this can be not true" = this can be untrue; but this also may be true

"this can not be true" = on no account this is true; for sure it's untrue

Q2: Do you agree with my interpretations of these expressions?

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victor_amelkinQ1: Is the variant (i) gramatically incorrect?
I would use "cannot" (one word) (pacePhilip
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