Greek Double Negatives?

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detbarn Saturday 10th of December 2005 12:38:04 AM
double negatives? - Does Greek use double negatives, like when you say "I don't know anything", it's 'I not know nothing'?

Panos Saturday 10th of December 2005 04:04:05 AM
- Yes, it is used, it can be said 'Δεν ξέρω τίποτα' - 'Den ksero tipota'. It is like saying 'I don't know nothing', because the word 'den' is a negative word and 'tipota' is 'nothing'.

detbarn Thursday 04th of May 2006 10:08:25 PM
- [quote][i]Originally posted by panos74[/i]

[quote][i]Originally posted by detbarn[/i]
triple negatives?
what does it mean?

\'Δεν μπορώ να μην δω τίποτα\'
What does the sentence above actually mean? Does it mean \'I have to see something\'?

What about this one? \'Δεν έχω κανέναν κανέναν χρόνο\' Does it mean \'I do have some time\'?[/quote]

[quote]
\'Δεν μπορώ να μην δω τίποτα\'
What does the sentence above actually mean? Does it mean \'I have to see something\'?
[/quote]
Someone orders you to act like you see nothing. And you answer \'Δεν μπορώ να μην δω τίποτα\', you cannot deny what you saw. So practically it means \'I have to see something\', you are right.

\'Δεν έχω κανέναν κανέναν χρόνο\' . This sentence is not right. I assume that it meant for emphasis that \'i have no time at all\', but in Greek the right sentence would be \'Δεν έχω καθόλου μα καθόλου χρόνο\'.

[/quote]
I wonder if it\'s still possible to say something with two negatives like this:

\"Nobody can\'t do it.\" (meaning \"Anyone can do it.\")
Does \"Κανένας δεν δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\" become a positive? Or does \"Δεν υπάρχει κανένας που δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\", also become a positive and sounds more natural?

mmiriam Thursday 04th of May 2006 11:31:08 PM
- Hi,

yes you can use negative words to make a possitive meaning.
The sentence : \"Κανένας δεν δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\" is not correct. It is correct what you wrote after that.

it is like : Δεν υπαρχει κανεις που να μη μπορει να το κανει\" So in this sentence we use negative words like : \"Δεν\" and \"μη\" but still it is a possitive meaning.

this \"Δεν υπάρχει κανένας που δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\" is correct and it sounds more natural.

[quote]I wonder if it\'s still possible to say something with two negatives like this:

\"Nobody can\'t do it.\" (meaning \"Anyone can do it.\")
Does \"Κανένας δεν δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\" become a positive? Or does \"Δεν υπάρχει κανένας που δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\", also become a positive and sounds more natural?[/quote]

squeak Friday 26th of May 2006 05:13:09 AM
- [quote][i]Originally posted by panos74[/i]

Yes, it is used, it can be said \'Δεν ξέρω τίποτα\' - \'Den ksero tipota\'. It is like saying \'I don\'t know nothing\', because the word \'den\' is a negative word and \'tipota\' is \'nothing\'.[/quote]

Doesn\'t \"τίποτα\" also mean \"anything\"? If so, how does this make sense?

Phrasebase Archive
	detbarn	Saturday 10th of December 2005 12:38:04 AM
	double negatives? - Does Greek use double negatives, like when you say "I don't know anything", it's 'I not know nothing'?
	Panos	Saturday 10th of December 2005 04:04:05 AM
	- Yes, it is used, it can be said 'Δεν ξέρω τίποτα' - 'Den ksero tipota'. It is like saying 'I don't know nothing', because the word 'den' is a negative word and 'tipota' is 'nothing'.
	detbarn	Thursday 04th of May 2006 10:08:25 PM
	- [quote][i]Originally posted by panos74[/i] [quote][i]Originally posted by detbarn[/i] triple negatives? what does it mean? \'Δεν μπορώ να μην δω τίποτα\' What does the sentence above actually mean? Does it mean \'I have to see something\'? What about this one? \'Δεν έχω κανέναν κανέναν χρόνο\' Does it mean \'I do have some time\'?[/quote] [quote] \'Δεν μπορώ να μην δω τίποτα\' What does the sentence above actually mean? Does it mean \'I have to see something\'? [/quote] Someone orders you to act like you see nothing. And you answer \'Δεν μπορώ να μην δω τίποτα\', you cannot deny what you saw. So practically it means \'I have to see something\', you are right. \'Δεν έχω κανέναν κανέναν χρόνο\' . This sentence is not right. I assume that it meant for emphasis that \'i have no time at all\', but in Greek the right sentence would be \'Δεν έχω καθόλου μα καθόλου χρόνο\'. [/quote] I wonder if it\'s still possible to say something with two negatives like this: \"Nobody can\'t do it.\" (meaning \"Anyone can do it.\") Does \"Κανένας δεν δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\" become a positive? Or does \"Δεν υπάρχει κανένας που δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\", also become a positive and sounds more natural?
	mmiriam	Thursday 04th of May 2006 11:31:08 PM
	- Hi, yes you can use negative words to make a possitive meaning. The sentence : \"Κανένας δεν δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\" is not correct. It is correct what you wrote after that. it is like : Δεν υπαρχει κανεις που να μη μπορει να το κανει\" So in this sentence we use negative words like : \"Δεν\" and \"μη\" but still it is a possitive meaning. this \"Δεν υπάρχει κανένας που δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\" is correct and it sounds more natural. [quote]I wonder if it\'s still possible to say something with two negatives like this: \"Nobody can\'t do it.\" (meaning \"Anyone can do it.\") Does \"Κανένας δεν δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\" become a positive? Or does \"Δεν υπάρχει κανένας που δεν μπορεί να το κάνει.\", also become a positive and sounds more natural?[/quote]
	squeak	Friday 26th of May 2006 05:13:09 AM
	- [quote][i]Originally posted by panos74[/i] Yes, it is used, it can be said \'Δεν ξέρω τίποτα\' - \'Den ksero tipota\'. It is like saying \'I don\'t know nothing\', because the word \'den\' is a negative word and \'tipota\' is \'nothing\'.[/quote] Doesn\'t \"τίποτα\" also mean \"anything\"? If so, how does this make sense?