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Talent Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
Negation of infinitives
Hi,
First of all I would like to thank you all for this site!
Once before I had mentioned in my posts about the verb negation.
There was an answer by some one and it was true however in some cases I just confront with some of the verbs like Expect, Dare , Need and some more that in addition of getting negated by 'do' it would get negated by 'not' coming after them.
For instance:
I dare not to go! ( I don't dare to go)
I expect you not to be there. (I don't expect you to be there)
If it is true, let me know about those sort of verbs and tell me please that would the verb 'Try' be included in that category?
Sincerely!
First of all I would like to thank you all for this site!
Once before I had mentioned in my posts about the verb negation.
There was an answer by some one and it was true however in some cases I just confront with some of the verbs like Expect, Dare , Need and some more that in addition of getting negated by 'do' it would get negated by 'not' coming after them.
For instance:
I dare not to go! ( I don't dare to go)
I expect you not to be there. (I don't expect you to be there)
If it is true, let me know about those sort of verbs and tell me please that would the verb 'Try' be included in that category?
Sincerely!
Top answer
The only ones I can think of that are used regularly in modern English are guess not and hope not. Other than that, the form isn't really used except in language that is constructed purposefully to sound dramatic, poetic, or archaic.
- The only ones I can think of that are used regularly in modern English are guess not and hope not.
- Other than that, the form isn't really used except in language that is constructed purposefully to sound dramatic, poetic, or archaic.
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12 Answers
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The only ones I can think of that are used regularly in modern English are guess not and hope not.
Other than that, the form isn't really used except in language that is constructed purposefully to sound dramatic, poetic, or archaic.
Other than that, the form isn't really used except in language that is constructed purposefully to sound dramatic, poetic, or archaic.
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talent Hi,First of all I would like to thank you all for this site!Once before I had mentioned in my posts about the verb negation.There was an answer by some one and it was true however in some cases I just confront with some of the verbs like Expect, Dare , Need and some more that in addition of getting negated by 'do' it would get negated by 'not' coming after them.For
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thanks.. I have heard that these sort of negation would be used in Formal English.
Please if you find more information help me.
Please if you find more information help me.
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Hi
With the examples you give, I think you have it right. It is most usual to have 'don't' or doesn't' before the first verb, in informal speech ...
- He doesn't dare speak to me any more
- We don't expect him to live much longer
- You don't need to do that if you don't want to
With 'try' it is more complicated ...
1) I didn't try to insult him but I d
With the examples you give, I think you have it right. It is most usual to have 'don't' or doesn't' before the first verb, in informal speech ...
- He doesn't dare speak to me any more
- We don't expect him to live much longer
- You don't need to do that if you don't want to
With 'try' it is more complicated ...
1) I didn't try to insult him but I d
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talentQuoteI do mean the negation of the main verb....What do you consider to be the "main verb" in "I dare not to go!" and "I expect you not to be there"?
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Talent;
I think you are asking about the negation of the infinitive after a catenative main verb versus negating the main verb.
He dares not walk on the thin ice. (Here the infinitive walk is negated)
He doesn't dare walk on thin ice. (Here the main verb is negated.)
We expect him not to talk in class.
We don't expect him to talk in class.
The meanin
I think you are asking about the negation of the infinitive after a catenative main verb versus negating the main verb.
He dares not walk on the thin ice. (Here the infinitive walk is negated)
He doesn't dare walk on thin ice. (Here the main verb is negated.)
We expect him not to talk in class.
We don't expect him to talk in class.
The meanin
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AlpheccaStarsHe dares not walk on the thin ice. (Here the infinitive walk is negated)In my opinion the verb "dare" is negated here.
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GPYIn my opinion the verb "dare" is negated here.I would have said so, too.
CJ
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Hi
I agree with both GPY and Alphecca. In some catenative + infinitive forms, the placement of the negative is stylistic and in some cases it makes a difference in meaning. It's not easy to say why some fall in one category and some the other ...
- I dare not do that
- I don't dare do that
[= same meaning]
- You need not do that
- You don't need to do that
I agree with both GPY and Alphecca. In some catenative + infinitive forms, the placement of the negative is stylistic and in some cases it makes a difference in meaning. It's not easy to say why some fall in one category and some the other ...
- I dare not do that
- I don't dare do that
[= same meaning]
- You need not do that
- You don't need to do that
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