It matters not...?

Question

Hello,I would like to ask whether it is possible to say 'It matters not (what the particular circumstances are, for example)' instead of 'It doesn't matter what...'I read somewhere this was an incorrect consturction, but I think there is nothing wrong with it. Thanks, in advance.

Cyraxote · Accepted Answer

You are correct. There is nothing wrong with it, although some native speakers (especially in the US) might consider it somewhat formal or "stuffy."

US President John F. Kennedy used a very similar construction in his inaugural address: "Ask not what your country can do for you...."

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks, I thought so : )

Paco2004 · Answer

I think Kennedy's one sounds relatively natural because it is intepreted to be in the contrastive construct of <not .... but ...>. The full text is "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country". Here the semicolon would be taken as a substitute for "but". "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country". Another good example for this sort of construct is a quote from Einstein. "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but I know World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones".

But we often come across in some classic novels with the negation in the form without "do"-support and not followed by "but". "And to this day, I believe, she knows not whether it was his present or his daughter's" (Austen). I believe this type of negation is a relic of the late Middle English (1200 - 1400) where the standard negation construct was "S V not (O)".

Teacher Eric · Answer

Paco2004I think Kennedy's one sounds relatively natural because it is intepreted to be in the contrastive construct of <not .... but ...>. The full text is "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country". Here the semicolon would be taken as a substitute for "but". "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country". Another good example for this sort of construct is a quote from Einstein. "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but I know World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones".

But we often come across in some classic novels with the negation in the form without "do"-support and not followed by "but". "And to this day, I believe, she knows not whether it was his present or his daughter's" (Austen). I believe this type of negation is a relic of the late Middle English (1200 - 1400) where the standard negation construct was "S V not (O)".

I got to hand it to you, Paco! Very well put. I thoroughly enjoy reading your replies. I hope you get a check mark soon.

It matters not...?

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