Return PolishForums LIVE
  PolishForums Archive :
Archives - 2005-2009 / Language  % width 9

Is this a TRIPLE negative?


minigolfer 1 | 2  
18 Feb 2008 /  #1
I know Polish uses double negatives. Is this a triple negative? How would you translate the following sentence into English accurately?

"Nie ma niczego na żadnym ze stołów."
z_darius 14 | 3,964  
18 Feb 2008 /  #2
There is nothing on any of the tables.
OP minigolfer 1 | 2  
18 Feb 2008 /  #3
Thanks for the fast help, Darius! That's what I figured it meant. Would the most literal translation be: "Not having nothing on any of the tables."? Is that the logical idea?
osiol 55 | 3,921  
18 Feb 2008 /  #4
I asked about double negatives before.
In English, spoken by a trained and experienced practitioner, one negative can be negated back into a postitive by another negative.
This ain't no case in Polish, or most languages, including most English.
The two negatives work with, not against eachother.
Michal - | 1,865  
18 Feb 2008 /  #5
"Nie ma niczego na żadnym ze stołów."

Nie ma nic, na żadnych stołach.
Bartolome 2 | 1,085  
18 Feb 2008 /  #6
"Nie ma niczego na żadnym ze stołów."

Literally it would be 'There is not nothing on none of the tables', IMHO.
And iI don't think it's a 'triple negative'. There's one 'double negative': 'Nie ma niczego' and one 'single negative': 'na zadnym ze stolów' IMHO 2.
Michal - | 1,865  
18 Feb 2008 /  #7
Africans has a double negative. As for example nie rook nie meaning No smoking.
OP minigolfer 1 | 2  
18 Feb 2008 /  #8
Thanks everyone for your help! You are all a great resource for someone learning Polish. Thank you again!
Ryszard - | 89  
19 Feb 2008 /  #9
Nie ma nic, na żadnych stołach.

Excuse me, this is polish forum not a russian one, thank you

You are all a great resource for someone learning Polish.

Not all, not all...

Archives - 2005-2009 / Language / Is this a TRIPLE negative?Archived