Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and I’m back with another entry into the grammar hall of shame. Here we have a sign that reads NO FREE FOOD UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES. Taken literally, you could probably make a decent case that if there are circumstances, free food will be given. That’s what happens when you use a double negative. Negatives in English are words like “no,” “never,” or “not.” They’re easy to recognize because they generally start with “n.” You can have up to one negative per clause. Not necessarily per sentence, but per clause.
Fun fact: In some other languages, like Russian, you can pack lots of negatives into a single clause and still be grammatically correct, even if they’re back-to-back. But English isn’t one of those languages, so don’t try it unless you want to end up saying the opposite of what you mean.
That’s your Grammar Minute! Visit thegrammarminute.com for more tips and tricks.