One negative word in a sentence is fine, but if the Double Negative Team gets you to use two negative words in the same sentence then they’ve succeeded in tricking you into saying the exact opposite of what you mean.
For example, if you want to say that you are not a villain, you can make a sentence that says, “I’m no villain.” This sentence lets everyone know, very clearly, that you are not a villain. Notice that this sentence only has one negative word: no.
Now, let’s add a second negative word to the same sentence, “I’m not no villain.” It might sound like you’re saying that you’re not a villain, but the second negative word changes the sentence (and its meaning) into the opposite of what you wanted to say. If you’re not no villain, then you must be a villain.
no villain = no villain not no villain = yes villain
It’s a very sneaky trick, and it’s not always easy to catch, especially if you’re not prepared for it. So, learn to recognize negative words, and the next time you see two of them in the same sentence—think twice. It just might be the Double Negative Team trying to trick you with their double dealing double talk!
EVIL POWERS:
By tricking you into using two negative words in the same sentence, The Double Negative Team has the power to make you say the exact opposite of what you mean.
By tricking you into using two negative words in the same sentence, The Double Negative Team has the power to make you say the exact opposite of what you mean.
SUPER EXAMPLES:
#1)
You’re not no superhero.
Double negative: if you’re not no superhero, then you must be a superhero
You’re not a superhero.
Fixed: by removing the second negative, no
#2)
You can’t never stop me.
Double negative: if you can’t never stop me, then you can stop me
You can’t stop me.
Fixed: by removing the second negative, never
#3)
I don’t want nobody to get hurt.
Double negative: if you don’t want nobody to get hurt, then you must want somebody to get hurt
I don’t want anybody to get hurt.
Fixed: by changing the second negative word, nobody, into a positive word, anybody
#4)
I don’t know nothing about a robbery.
Double negative: (if you don’t know nothing about a robbery, then you must know something about a robbery
I don’t know anything about a robbery.
Fixed: by changing the second negative word, nothing, into a positive word, anything
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STOPPING THE DOUBLE NEGATIVE TEAM:
Learn to recognize negative words and always watch out for more than one negative word in a sentence. If you can do that, you’ll always win against the Double Negative Team.
And remember:
No, not, never, none, nothing, no-one, nobody, nowhere, neither, don’t, can’t, cannot, won’t, wouldn’t, shouldn’t, couldn’t, isn’t, wasn’t—these are all negative words.
Negative words are simply the opposite of positive words (yes, is, can, do, always…).
Negative words, on their own, are not bad or evil; in fact, you can use negative words to help you say a lot of very positive and useful things, like “No swimming in the piranha tank.”, “Don’t forget to fight crime today.” and “Never surrender without a fight!” Without negative words, we couldn’t say any of these things, and that would, very positively, be a shame.
Don’t let their ominous looking name mislead you. Negative words—like positive words—are only here to help our sentences communicate as clearly as possible. So, don’t stop using negative words; just make sure that you use them in a positive way!
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Here's a peek at an early concept drawings for Double Negative. This sketch turned into the inspiration for the final look of the troublesome twin brothers.
