[Ads-l] Triple negative

[Jonathan Lighter]

Why is that ironic?

JL

On Thu, Dec 1, 2016 at 3:53 PM, Barretts Mail <mail.barretts at gmail.com>
wrote:

> The essential meaning seems clear (though the negative phrasing changes
> the direction causation to a possible causation): I think that because Ryan
> ran a strong campaign, this has happened.
>
> Perhaps the correct utterance is this:
> If Ryan had not run a strong campaign, I don’t think that any of this
> would have happened.
>
> If so, the “I do not think” could be a production error due to the
> complexity of the grammar.
>
> Benjamin Barrett
> Formerly of Seattle, WA
>
> > On 1 Dec 2016, at 12:38, Brian Hitchcock <brianhi at SKECHERS.COM> wrote:
> >
> > What do you make of this? It's from an article about Nancy Pelosi's
> retention of her seat as House Minority Leader, and of concessions gained
> by caucus members that lessen Pelosi's power to control DCCC appointments.
> > http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/nancy-pelosi-house-
> democrats-232023
> >
> > "I do not think if Tim Ryan had not run a strong campaign, I don't know
> that any of this would've happened."
> >
> > Ironically, this was spoken by Representative Marcia Fudge.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org