Seeming paradox

The word paradox alone implies all that the word seeming is intended to convey, hence seeming is superfluous. "This was once a paradox but time now gives it proof."

Different

"There were ten different men ready to accept the offer." As no reference to the appearance or characteristics of the men is intended, the word different is unnecessary.

192

Rise up

"They rose up early and started on their journey." Up is superfluous and should be omitted.

Sink down

"The multitude sank down upon the ground." As they could not sink up or in any other direction than down, the latter word should be omitted.

Smell of

"Did you smell of the roses?" "No; but I smelled them and found them very fragrant." "The gardener smelt of them for he has been culling them all morning and his clothing is perfumed with them." The of is superfluous in such expressions as taste of, feel of, and usually in smell of.

Think for

"He is taller than you think for." For is unnecessary. "He is taller than you think" is the contracted form of "He is taller than you think he is."

Differ among themselves

"The authorities differed among themselves." The words among themselves may be omitted.

End up

"That ends up the business." Say "that ends (or closes) the business."

Had have

"Had I have known that he was a lawyer I should have consulted him."

Omit have.

193

Had ought to

"I had ought to have gone to school to-day; I hadn't ought to have gone fishing." Incorrect. Say, "I ought to have gone (or I should have gone) to school to-day; I ought not to have gone fishing." If the second clause is not an after-thought the sentence can be still further improved by condensing it; as, "I should have gone to school to-day, and not to have gone fishing."

194

CHAPTER XV

Two Negatives

The use of two negatives in a sentence is much more common than is generally supposed. To assume that only those who are grossly ignorant of grammatical rules and constructions employ them, is an error.

Writers whose names are as bright stars in the constellation of literature have slipped on this treacherous ground.

A negation, in English, admits of only one negative word. The use of a single negative carries the meaning halfway around the circle. The meaning is therefore diametrically opposed to that which would be expressed without the negative. The use of a second negative would carry the meaning the remaining distance around the circle, thus bringing it to the starting point, and making it equivalent to the affirmative. The second negative destroys the effect of the first. The two negatives are equivalent to an affirmative.

Double Negatives

While two negatives in the same sentence destroy each other, a double negative has the effect of a more

195

exact and guarded affirmative; as, "It is not improbable that Congress will convene in special session before the end of the summer." "It is not unimportant that, he attend to the matter at once." "His story was not incredible." "The fund was not inexhaustible."

Redundant Negatives

"No one else but the workmen had any business at the meeting." Omit else.

"Let us see whether or not there was not a mistake in the record."

Omit either or not or the second not.

"The boat will not stop only when the signal flag is raised." Omit not or change only to except.

"He will never return, I don't believe." Say, "He will never return,"

or, if that statement is two emphatic, say, "I don't believe he will ever return."

Don't want none

"I don't want none," "I ain't got nothing," "He can't do no more," are inelegant expressions that convey a meaning opposed to that intended.

"I don't want any," or, "I do not want any," or, "I want none," are correct equivalents for the first sentence; "I haven't anything," or, "I have nothing," should take the place of the second; and, "He can't do any more," or, "He can do no more," or "He cannot do more," will serve for the third.

196

Not--Hardly

"I cannot stop to tell you hardly any of the adventures that befell Theseus." Change cannot to can. "I have not had a moment's time to read hardly since I left school." Say, "I have hardly a moment's time," etc.

No--no

"The faculties are called into no exercise by doing a thing merely because others do it, no more than by believing a thing only because others believe it," says George P. Marsh. He should have used any instead of the second no.

Nothing--nor

"There was nothing at the Columbian Exposition more beautiful, nor more suggestive of the progress of American art, than Tiffany's display." Change nor to or.