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Acbeat Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Why they don't use not for each word?
I'm not good at English.
I have a question about grammar.
I read the meanings of the word inhospitable on the Oxford dictionary. It explains that not welcoming and generous to people who visit you.
I can read this not welcoming and not generous.
So, is the reason the dictionary don't use not twice for the two words it is natural to read not generous? And if the meanings is more complex and hard to understand, people use 'not' twice?
In other words, if people use not once or twice depends on the meanings of sentence, not for the reason of grammar?
Excuse me for my poor English.
I have a question about grammar.
I read the meanings of the word inhospitable on the Oxford dictionary. It explains that not welcoming and generous to people who visit you.
I can read this not welcoming and not generous.
So, is the reason the dictionary don't use not twice for the two words it is natural to read not generous? And if the meanings is more complex and hard to understand, people use 'not' twice?
In other words, if people use not once or twice depends on the meanings of sentence, not for the reason of grammar?
Excuse me for my poor English.
Top answer
If the meaning is not clear about whether to read not onto later words, it can be made clear; eg - he is neither welcoming nor generous; he is not welcoming and not generous; he is not welcoming but (he) is generous. However "not welcoming and generous" in my view is slightly different and really means "not welcoming OR not generous", and so is not really the same as "not welcoming AND not generous". d
- If the meaning is not clear about whether to read not onto later words, it can be made clear; eg - he is neither welcoming nor generous; he is not welcoming and not generous; he is not welcoming but (he) is generous.
- However "not welcoming and generous" in my view is slightly different and really means "not welcoming OR not generous", and so is not really the same as "not welcoming AND not generous".
- d
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4 Answers
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If the meaning is not clear about whether to read not onto later words, it can be made clear; eg -
he is neither welcoming nor generous;
he is not welcoming and not generous;
he is not welcoming but (he) is generous.
However "not welcoming and generous" in my view is slightly different and really means "not welcoming OR not generous", and so is not really the same as
he is neither welcoming nor generous;
he is not welcoming and not generous;
he is not welcoming but (he) is generous.
However "not welcoming and generous" in my view is slightly different and really means "not welcoming OR not generous", and so is not really the same as
00
Excuse me for my misreading.
The dictionary says not welcoming or generous.
And this time, It says not welcoming and not generous.
But, that not welcoming or not generous means not welcoming and not generous is too difficult to understand for me.
Do you say NOT (welcoming OR generous) is (NOT welcoming) And (NOT generous)?
If it so, we need to use English logically, right?
The dictionary says not welcoming or generous.
And this time, It says not welcoming and not generous.
But, that not welcoming or not generous means not welcoming and not generous is too difficult to understand for me.
Do you say NOT (welcoming OR generous) is (NOT welcoming) And (NOT generous)?
If it so, we need to use English logically, right?
00
English wording doesn't follow strict mathematical logic. However when the English wording is translated into an inner conceptual meaning in the mind, obviously that inner meaning will follow mathematical logic. For example where "not welcoming and generous" is read in as the inner meaning "not welcoming-and-generous", it will mean "not welcoming OR not generous".
The English wording "not welc
The English wording "not welc
00
I've got the most important thing to be learned.
That is "not welcoming or generous" tends to mean the inner meaning "not welcoming AND not generous.
Thank you for your intelligent explanation.
That is "not welcoming or generous" tends to mean the inner meaning "not welcoming AND not generous.
Thank you for your intelligent explanation.
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