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The Mayfield Handbook of Technical & Scientific Writing
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Section 6.13

Double Negatives

Use only one negative word to express a negative idea. In English, using two negative words to express one negative idea creates a positive rather than a negative interpretation.


Unacceptable

The water management model simulated how water would flow through today's Everglades if all the pumps, gates, and other water control devices had not never been built. [Not never means at some time.]

Acceptable

The water management model simulated how water would flow through today's Everglades if all the pumps, gates, and other water control devices had never been built.

Acceptable

The water management model simulated how water would flow through today's Everglades if all the pumps, gates, and other water control devices had not been built.

--Norman Boucher, "Back to the Everglades," Technology Review (modified)


If you would like to negate more than one word, use a negative word for the first word you would like to negate and replace any remaining negative words with an indefinite pronoun beginning with any- or the adverb ever.


Unacceptable

Because no one was never around to record nothing, the computer model's algorithms cannot be calibrated and verified against reality.

Acceptable

Because no one was ever around to record anything, the computer model's algorithms cannot be calibrated and verified against reality.

--Norman Boucher, "Back to the Everglades," Technology Review (modified)


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## Double Negatives ##
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