0
Ruslana Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
"You don't mean nothing"
Hi, guys,
Recently I paid attention to a song of Nelly Furtado in which she sings:
Now you don't mean nothing at all to me...
Don't and nothing are not acceptable together, are they? But since she sings it anyway, perhaps it gives the sentence a shade of a certain meaning? For example, a scornful/slighting/disdainful shade? Or why else did such a line show up in the song?
Recently I paid attention to a song of Nelly Furtado in which she sings:
Now you don't mean nothing at all to me...
Don't and nothing are not acceptable together, are they? But since she sings it anyway, perhaps it gives the sentence a shade of a certain meaning? For example, a scornful/slighting/disdainful shade? Or why else did such a line show up in the song?
Top answer
It's a song - and songs don't follow the rules. If it fits a metre or rhythm and sounds well, then it works. She no longer cares anything about "you".
- It's a song - and songs don't follow the rules.
- If it fits a metre or rhythm and sounds well, then it works.
- She no longer cares anything about "you".
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
9 Answers
0
It's a song - and songs don't follow the rules. If it fits a metre or rhythm and sounds well, then it works.
She no longer cares anything about "you".
She no longer cares anything about "you".
00
Here in the UK, a lot of people will say things like
'You don't know nothing' (You don't know anything)
'You didn't do nothing' (You did not do anything)
Don't worry about it; it's just us Brits not knowing nothing (!) about grammar!
'You don't know nothing' (You don't know anything)
'You didn't do nothing' (You did not do anything)
Don't worry about it; it's just us Brits not knowing nothing (!) about grammar!
00
RuslanaDon't and nothing are not acceptable together, are they?Yes, they are acceptable where double negatives are acceptable. They are ok in songs... actually, they are extremely common in songs, but it depends what kind of music you listen to (you don't find double negatives in classical music, LOL). Double negatives are common, and they
00
0
0
0
AnonymousHere in the UK, a lot of people will say things likeI should add that saying the above is acceptable, but writing that in an essay is
'You don't know nothing' (You don't know anything)
'You didn't do nothing' (You did not do anything)
Don't worry about it; it's just us Brits not knowing nothing (!) about grammar!
00
Double negatives are very common (in fact, you HAVE TO use double negatives a lot of times) in Latin languages like Spanish or Portuguese. I don't know who wrote the lyrics to that song, but you should keep in mind that, though Nelly is Canadian, she has a Portuguese background. Her surname, "Furtado" is Portuguese. Maybe that has something to do with it, although it may not be correct in English
0
Related Questions