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In the sentence

Yes, at least financially speaking, your opinion sounds right, even if ...

is grammatically right adding not this way

Yes, at least financially not speaking, your opinion sounds right, even if ...

or not cannot be placed there, so is valid

Yes, at least not financially speaking, your opinion sounds right, even if ...

?

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3 Answers 3

5

The first example is not syntactically correct.

I would suggest something like

Yes, apart from your view on finances, your opinion sounds right, even if .

or

Yes, except from the part dealing with finances, your opinion sounds right, even if .

3

I don't like the insertion of the word not, in either place. The expression [adverb] speaking is used often, and it's almost idiomatic. For example:

  • Generally speaking, it's rainy in Seattle.
  • Technically speaking, the Internet isn't down – it's your connection that's down.
  • Financially speaking, driving an ice cream truck isn't a good career path.
  • Ethically speaking, I had to tell the buyer that the engine is leaking oil.

This construct means, essentially, from an [adjective] point of view... So, these sentences would mean:

  • From a general point of view, it's rainy in Seattle.
  • From a technical standpoint, the Internet isn't down – it's your connection that's down.
  • From a financial perspective, driving an ice cream truck isn't a good career path.
  • As a matter of ethics, I had to tell the buyer that the engine is leaking oil.

If I wanted to somehow negate this construct, I would restructure the sentence, rather than using the word not.

  • It usually rains in Seattle, but today it's sunny.
  • Technically, the internet isn't down – but I know what you mean.
  • You won't make a fortune driving an ice cream truck, but I can see how the job might be fun.
  • I could have withheld the oil problem, but that would have been unethical.

Getting back to your example, if you are refuting the person from a perspective that's not the financial perspective, then you should pinpoint that perspective:

  • Yes, at least morally speaking, your opinion sounds right, even if ...

Alternatively, if you want to emphasize that your statement is excluding the financial perspective, you could word that in a manner such as one of these:

  • Yes, financial considerations aside, your opinion sounds right, even if ...
  • Yes, disregarding financial matters for the moment, your opinion sounds right, even if ...

but I would strongly recommend against Yes, not financially speaking...

2

The latter sentence is better, but I would say something like "Yes, at least, speaking of other things than finances....".

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