Timeline for Position of not in a question
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
16 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2017 at 13:10 | answer | added | user54219 | timeline score: 1 | |
| May 10, 2017 at 17:32 | answer | added | Swamp Gas | timeline score: 0 | |
| Apr 25, 2017 at 12:03 | answer | added | eilís | timeline score: 0 | |
| Apr 18, 2017 at 1:04 | answer | added | Outboxman | timeline score: 0 | |
| Apr 14, 2017 at 18:45 | answer | added | Alan | timeline score: 0 | |
| Apr 12, 2017 at 8:49 | history | tweeted | twitter.com/StackEnglishLL/status/852081335296503812 | ||
| Apr 12, 2017 at 8:45 | comment | added | BillJ | @user178049 "Scope' of negation is the part of the meaning that is negated. In "He has not got many friends", "not" has scope over the quantifier "many". And in "Not everybody agrees with you", "not" has scope over "everybody". | |
| Apr 12, 2017 at 8:25 | comment | added | Mohd Zulkanien Sarbini | @BillJ isn't the concept of scope only used with clauses. "I think that won't work"(in sub clause)," I don't think that work"(in the main clause)? Never heard that it's used with phrases. | |
| Apr 12, 2017 at 8:23 | comment | added | BillJ | Because "not" has scope over the verb "used", not over "past tense used". | |
| Apr 12, 2017 at 8:05 | comment | added | Teacher KSHuang | Heh, I had a feeling, which is why I had thrown in that last comment :D. | |
| Apr 12, 2017 at 8:05 | comment | added | SovereignSun | @olegst This always irritated me in English too. Why "Isn't he at home?"*="Is he not at home?"* and not "It not he at home"? But so says the grammar. | |
| Apr 12, 2017 at 8:02 | comment | added | olegst | @TeacherKSHuang I've often heard phrases like "why isn't/hasn't/wasn't" and they confused me, that's why I thought "why is not" is the correct non-contracted counterpart. Now it's clear, thanks! | |
| Apr 12, 2017 at 7:56 | comment | added | Teacher KSHuang | And lastly, if "is not" were contracted, number two would actually be the only choice: "Why isn't past tense used?" and not, "Why past tense isn't used?" | |
| Apr 12, 2017 at 7:49 | comment | added | Teacher KSHuang | Meanwhile, it is worthwhile to note that by modern-day standards, the second one would almost be more poetic and philosophical because a bit more emphasis has been placed on "why" whereas the first one is the more "natural" and most likely, more common, construction of the question. You may see here for more information: english.stackexchange.com/questions/16585/…. | |
| Apr 12, 2017 at 7:38 | comment | added | Teacher KSHuang | Both are correct, but the second one should be, "Why, is not past tense used?" | |
| Apr 12, 2017 at 7:10 | history | asked | olegst | CC BY-SA 3.0 |