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I get confused about using "not/don't" with "no one/anyone/anybody". I want to mean "I don't owe anyone any explanation" in short. Hence I used "I owe explanation to no one". I'm still confused about whether it's correct?

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    "I owe an explanation to no one".
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Aug 28, 2022 at 20:43
  • I was going to tell you the answer but now I'm confused about whether I owe you an explanation...
    – komodosp
    Commented Oct 7, 2022 at 14:46

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I do not owe anyone an explanation

means exactly the same thing as

I owe no one an explanation

Thus, I am not even sure what you are asking

not anyone = no one

Your sentence

I owe explanation to no one

is incorrect, but not because of “no one.” It requires an indefinite article before “explanation. What is correct is

I owe an explanation to no one.

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First let us correct this sentence.

I owe explanation to no one. (incorrect)

to

I owe an explanation to no one (correct)

The first sentence was missing an article. Articles are "a", "an" and "the".

Next, generally we can switch the phrases around. Thus

I owe an explanation to no one = I owe no one an explanation

I don't owe any explanation to anyone = I don't owe anyone any explanation

I don't owe any explanation to anyone = I do owe an explanation not to anyone

Notice the difference? "do" is used for emphasis. And "any" works nicely with "don't" for the same purpose, emphasis. Otherwise they are the same. Thus

I owe an explanation to no one = I owe no one an explanation

are almost equal to

I don't owe any explanation to anyone = I don't owe anyone any explanation

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  • In AAVE English, the sentence may take the form of "I don't owe no explanation to no one" or "I owe no explanation to no one", meaning the same thing.
    – banuyayi
    Commented Sep 4, 2022 at 22:13
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I owe an explanation to "no one" is something I try to convince myself is true. When i say this I'm laundry listing in my head some a host of individuals who might want an explanation and strategizing how I might handle these confrontations. The tone of "I don't owe anyone an explanation to anyone is something I'd say directly to someone while looking them in the eye, possibly defensively. It's more for my audience while the former is more broad and full of possibilities.

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