multiple negatives!

Posted by: ken c on 27 May 2007

my daughter has just told me that one of her lecturers responded thus to a comment she made:

"i couldn't fail to disagree with you less"

after laughing about it for a while, i am left wondering whether the lecturer agreed or not?

enjoy
ken
Posted on: 27 May 2007 by Deane F
It's less than obvious that you're slightly unsure about some certainties...
Posted on: 27 May 2007 by Deane F
I remember attending a compulsory "communications" course at a polytechnic. In the very same class that the instructor told us all about avoiding tautology in our writing, she set us a task of writing about something and (to quote): "what it means, in your life, as it is now"...
Posted on: 27 May 2007 by ken c
quote:
Originally posted by Deane F:
It's less than obvious that you're slightly unsure about some certainties...


Roll Eyes

enjoy
ken
Posted on: 27 May 2007 by fidelio
i may not understand whether the lecturer didn't fail to disagree.
Posted on: 27 May 2007 by Alan Paterson
My head is spinning Eek
Posted on: 27 May 2007 by NaimDropper
Clearly a no no.

But wait! Does "multiple" mean more than one, more than 3, etc.? This caused about 20 useless, off-topic entries in another thread...

David
Posted on: 27 May 2007 by ken c
quote:
Originally posted by fidelio:
i may not understand whether the lecturer didn't fail to disagree.


more or less?? Confused

enjoy
ken
Posted on: 28 May 2007 by fidelio
naimdropper: one def. of "multiple" is "several," which in turn is defined as more than two but not many. multiple is also defined as many. therefore multiple is more than two, and many. no numerical values are ascribed to "many," but it may be infered that multiple is in every case more than two, and sometimes "many." op. cit. www.dictionary.con. happy now?? (i really need a new hobby.)