Le 2 sept. 04, =E0 17:59, Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx a =E9crit : > > > In a message dated 9/2/2004 5:56:28 AM Eastern Standard Time, > atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes: > In the last election, I voted for Nader. I think Nader is far and =20= > away > superior to Bush or Kerry. But he hasn't got a snowball's chance in=20= > hell of > winning. > > > > ---- > > I like that. > > It's again, what L. Horn (et al.) call a negative-polarity item. > > Note that the positive (affirmative) is just as logical: > > Nader _does_ have a snowball's chance in hell. > > As I was reading the other day in an online source, > > "English must be an illogical language, if "a slim chance" and "a=20= > fat > chance" mean (more or less) the same thing." There are a couple of expressions that have always bugged me in this=20 regard. To indicate one's complete lack of interest in a state of=20 affairs, one can say both =93=A0I couldn't care less" and "I could care=20= less", with no apparent difference in meaning. The latter formulation=20 seems grammatically incorrect, for it could be parsed as claiming :=20 =93=A0There are (actual or possible) situations which would elicit = *less*=20 concern from me than the present one". But that surely implies "My=20 degree of concern for the present is greater than nil". The first=20 formulation, by contrast, seems to convey the more relevant attitude=A0:=20= " There is *no* (potential or actual" situation which could elicit=20 *less* concern on my part=A0", in other words, "the present situation=20 elicits the absolute minimum degree of concern of which I am capable". =20= Similarly, one often hears =93=A0I could give a damn/shit" used when the=20= obvious meaning is in fact "I could/do *not* give a damn/shit". I wonder if this phenomenon is related to that of euphemism. A = Spanish=20 friend of mine, in his mid-twenties, has the habit of designating=20 things of which he approves or by which he is favorably impressed as=20 "Mortal!" and/or "Brutal!" . This amuses my Hispanic friends who are a=20= generation or so older, so it must be a recent development. Best, Mike. > Michael Chase (goya@xxxxxxxxxxx) CNRS UPR 76 7, rue Guy Moquet Villejuif 94801 France ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html