ABSTRACT
Language has a logic of its own, and in this case its logic has something to recommend it. Whenever two negatives really refer to the same idea or word (as special negatives) the result is invariably positive; this is true of all languages, and applies to such collocations as e.g. not uncommon, not infrequent, not without some fear. The two negatives, however, do not exactly cancel one another in such a way that the result is identical with the simple common, frequent, with some doubt; the longer expression is always weaker: "this is not unknown to me " or " I am not ignorant of this" means' I am to some extent aware of it,' etc. The psychological reason for this is that the detour through the two mutually destructive negatives weakens the mental energy of the listener and implies on the part of the speaker a certain hesitation which is absent from the blunt, outspoken common or known. In the same way I don't deny that he was angry is weaker than I assert, etc. Cp. also Fr. il n'etait pas sans ~tre frappe.
