Comparing negatives (It is nice not to be rude.) vs. (It isn't nice to be rude.)
What is the difference in style and meaning between the following two in terms of the adjective "nice"?
- (It is nice not to be rude.)
- (It isn't nice to be rude.)
besides, what is the difference in style and meaning between the following two in terms of the verb "decide"?
- (I decided not to come)
- (I didn't decide to come.)
grammar differences grammatical-structure
asked Jan 9 at 9:38
PurePure
1
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 2 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
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What is the difference in style and meaning between the following two in terms of the adjective "nice"?
- (It is nice not to be rude.)
- (It isn't nice to be rude.)
besides, what is the difference in style and meaning between the following two in terms of the verb "decide"?
- (I decided not to come)
- (I didn't decide to come.)
grammar differences grammatical-structure
asked Jan 9 at 9:38
PurePure
1
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 2 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
add a comment |
What is the difference in style and meaning between the following two in terms of the adjective "nice"?
- (It is nice not to be rude.)
- (It isn't nice to be rude.)
besides, what is the difference in style and meaning between the following two in terms of the verb "decide"?
- (I decided not to come)
- (I didn't decide to come.)
grammar differences grammatical-structure
asked Jan 9 at 9:38
PurePure
1
What is the difference in style and meaning between the following two in terms of the adjective "nice"?
- (It is nice not to be rude.)
- (It isn't nice to be rude.)
besides, what is the difference in style and meaning between the following two in terms of the verb "decide"?
- (I decided not to come)
- (I didn't decide to come.)
grammar differences grammatical-structure
grammar differences grammatical-structure
asked Jan 9 at 9:38
PurePure
1
asked Jan 9 at 9:38
PurePure
1
asked Jan 9 at 9:38
PurePure
1
asked Jan 9 at 9:38
PurePure
1
asked Jan 9 at 9:38
PurePure
1
1
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 2 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 2 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
add a comment |
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
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oldest
votes
Both sentences are formally correct in their meanings.
Compare:
It is nice not to be rude.= It is nice to be polite.
It isn't nice to be rude.= It is bad to be rude.
Though, from the stylistic point of view, the first sentence sounds strange because 'nice' is a 'positive' adjective and needs a 'positive' word (for example, polite).
answered Jan 9 at 10:48
user307254user307254
1
add a comment |
"I decided not to come" = I made up my mind that I would not.
"I didn't decide to come" could be followed by something like "...until I heard that you would be coming too" or "...my friends just bundled me into the car."
answered Jan 9 at 15:19
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,87431417
add a comment |
I think you need to apply the negative to the word it is affecting in the sentence.
These are closer in meaning but each relates to either side of neutrality.
It's nice not to be rude
Is a bit more positive/complimentary - you are saying that by simply not being rude you are being nice.
It isn't nice to be rude
In this case you're not making any comment about not being rude (e.g. - you might have to do a bit more work than just not be rude if you want to be nice). But certainly if you are rude, you are not being nice.
It's a bit more clear with your second group.
I decided not to come.
Here you made a decision - that you were not going to come.
I didn't decide to come.
Whereas here you did not necessarily make a decision.
answered Jan 9 at 16:15
colmdecolmde
825710
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Both sentences are formally correct in their meanings.
Compare:
It is nice not to be rude.= It is nice to be polite.
It isn't nice to be rude.= It is bad to be rude.
Though, from the stylistic point of view, the first sentence sounds strange because 'nice' is a 'positive' adjective and needs a 'positive' word (for example, polite).
answered Jan 9 at 10:48
user307254user307254
1
add a comment |
Both sentences are formally correct in their meanings.
Compare:
It is nice not to be rude.= It is nice to be polite.
It isn't nice to be rude.= It is bad to be rude.
Though, from the stylistic point of view, the first sentence sounds strange because 'nice' is a 'positive' adjective and needs a 'positive' word (for example, polite).
answered Jan 9 at 10:48
user307254user307254
1
add a comment |
Both sentences are formally correct in their meanings.
Compare:
It is nice not to be rude.= It is nice to be polite.
It isn't nice to be rude.= It is bad to be rude.
Though, from the stylistic point of view, the first sentence sounds strange because 'nice' is a 'positive' adjective and needs a 'positive' word (for example, polite).
answered Jan 9 at 10:48
user307254user307254
1
Both sentences are formally correct in their meanings.
Compare:
It is nice not to be rude.= It is nice to be polite.
It isn't nice to be rude.= It is bad to be rude.
Though, from the stylistic point of view, the first sentence sounds strange because 'nice' is a 'positive' adjective and needs a 'positive' word (for example, polite).
answered Jan 9 at 10:48
user307254user307254
1
answered Jan 9 at 10:48
user307254user307254
1
answered Jan 9 at 10:48
user307254user307254
1
answered Jan 9 at 10:48
user307254user307254
1
1
add a comment |
add a comment |
"I decided not to come" = I made up my mind that I would not.
"I didn't decide to come" could be followed by something like "...until I heard that you would be coming too" or "...my friends just bundled me into the car."
answered Jan 9 at 15:19
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,87431417
add a comment |
"I decided not to come" = I made up my mind that I would not.
"I didn't decide to come" could be followed by something like "...until I heard that you would be coming too" or "...my friends just bundled me into the car."
answered Jan 9 at 15:19
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,87431417
add a comment |
"I decided not to come" = I made up my mind that I would not.
"I didn't decide to come" could be followed by something like "...until I heard that you would be coming too" or "...my friends just bundled me into the car."
answered Jan 9 at 15:19
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,87431417
"I decided not to come" = I made up my mind that I would not.
"I didn't decide to come" could be followed by something like "...until I heard that you would be coming too" or "...my friends just bundled me into the car."
answered Jan 9 at 15:19
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,87431417
answered Jan 9 at 15:19
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,87431417
answered Jan 9 at 15:19
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,87431417
answered Jan 9 at 15:19
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,87431417
5,87431417
add a comment |
add a comment |
I think you need to apply the negative to the word it is affecting in the sentence.
These are closer in meaning but each relates to either side of neutrality.
It's nice not to be rude
Is a bit more positive/complimentary - you are saying that by simply not being rude you are being nice.
It isn't nice to be rude
In this case you're not making any comment about not being rude (e.g. - you might have to do a bit more work than just not be rude if you want to be nice). But certainly if you are rude, you are not being nice.
It's a bit more clear with your second group.
I decided not to come.
Here you made a decision - that you were not going to come.
I didn't decide to come.
Whereas here you did not necessarily make a decision.
answered Jan 9 at 16:15
colmdecolmde
825710
add a comment |
I think you need to apply the negative to the word it is affecting in the sentence.
These are closer in meaning but each relates to either side of neutrality.
It's nice not to be rude
Is a bit more positive/complimentary - you are saying that by simply not being rude you are being nice.
It isn't nice to be rude
In this case you're not making any comment about not being rude (e.g. - you might have to do a bit more work than just not be rude if you want to be nice). But certainly if you are rude, you are not being nice.
It's a bit more clear with your second group.
I decided not to come.
Here you made a decision - that you were not going to come.
I didn't decide to come.
Whereas here you did not necessarily make a decision.
answered Jan 9 at 16:15
colmdecolmde
825710
add a comment |
I think you need to apply the negative to the word it is affecting in the sentence.
These are closer in meaning but each relates to either side of neutrality.
It's nice not to be rude
Is a bit more positive/complimentary - you are saying that by simply not being rude you are being nice.
It isn't nice to be rude
In this case you're not making any comment about not being rude (e.g. - you might have to do a bit more work than just not be rude if you want to be nice). But certainly if you are rude, you are not being nice.
It's a bit more clear with your second group.
I decided not to come.
Here you made a decision - that you were not going to come.
I didn't decide to come.
Whereas here you did not necessarily make a decision.
answered Jan 9 at 16:15
colmdecolmde
825710
I think you need to apply the negative to the word it is affecting in the sentence.
These are closer in meaning but each relates to either side of neutrality.
It's nice not to be rude
Is a bit more positive/complimentary - you are saying that by simply not being rude you are being nice.
It isn't nice to be rude
In this case you're not making any comment about not being rude (e.g. - you might have to do a bit more work than just not be rude if you want to be nice). But certainly if you are rude, you are not being nice.
It's a bit more clear with your second group.
I decided not to come.
Here you made a decision - that you were not going to come.
I didn't decide to come.
Whereas here you did not necessarily make a decision.
answered Jan 9 at 16:15
colmdecolmde
825710
answered Jan 9 at 16:15
colmdecolmde
825710
answered Jan 9 at 16:15
colmdecolmde
825710
answered Jan 9 at 16:15
colmdecolmde
825710
825710
add a comment |
add a comment |
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