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 2 days ago
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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 2 days ago
PurePure
1
New contributor
Pure is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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 2 days ago
PurePure
1
New contributor
Pure is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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 2 days ago
PurePure
1
New contributor
Pure is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
PurePure
1
New contributor
Pure is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
PurePure
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asked 2 days ago
PurePure
1
asked 2 days ago
PurePure
1
1
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Pure is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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3 Answers
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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 2 days ago
user307254user307254
2,483514
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"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 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,77431417
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 2 days ago
colmdecolmde
825610
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 2 days ago
user307254user307254
2,483514
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 2 days ago
user307254user307254
2,483514
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 2 days ago
user307254user307254
2,483514
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 2 days ago
user307254user307254
2,483514
answered 2 days ago
user307254user307254
2,483514
answered 2 days ago
user307254user307254
2,483514
answered 2 days ago
user307254user307254
2,483514
2,483514
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 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,77431417
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 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,77431417
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 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,77431417
"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 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,77431417
answered 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,77431417
answered 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,77431417
answered 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
5,77431417
5,77431417
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 2 days ago
colmdecolmde
825610
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 2 days ago
colmdecolmde
825610
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 2 days ago
colmdecolmde
825610
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 2 days ago
colmdecolmde
825610
answered 2 days ago
colmdecolmde
825610
answered 2 days ago
colmdecolmde
825610
answered 2 days ago
colmdecolmde
825610
825610
add a comment |
add a comment |
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