On Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:59:13 -0500, Jarrett Billingsley wrote:

> On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 4:06 PM, Derek Parnell <derek@psych.ward> wrote:
>> On Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:45:44 -0500, Jarrett Billingsley wrote:
>>
>>> Also, "I think I don't like X" is not proper English.  Say "I don't think I like X" or just "I don't like X" instead.
>>
>> Of course its proper English.
>>
>> "I think I don't like X" means that I'm undecided about whether or not I like X but I probably do not like it.
>>
>> "I don't think I like X" means that I *know* that I don't like X, there is no uncertainty.
> 
> See, it's funny, because I would think "I don't think I like X" means that I'm undecided about whether or not I like X but I probably don't; and that "I don't like X" means that I know that I don't like it.  "I think I don't X" just sounds very unnatural to me.

Maybe is a difference between American English and Australian English?

-- 
Derek Parnell
Melbourne, Australia
skype: derek.j.parnell

Derek Parnell wrote:
> "I don't think I like X" means that I *know* that I don't like X, there is
> no uncertainty.

Not so. That is the only *reasonable* interpretation, but the person might not have any opinion whatsoever on the issue of whether they like X, and know that.

Jarrett Billingsley escribió:
> On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 11:45 AM, Ary Borenszweig <ary@esperanto.org.ar> wrote:
> 
>>>> Also, "I think I don't like X" is not proper English.  Say "I don't think
>>>> I like X" or just "I don't like X" instead.<
>> To Jarrett: why isn't it proper English? It makes sense to me.
> 
> Andrei did a pretty good job of explaining indirectly why it's wrong ;)
> 
> If you say "I think <something about myself>", it sounds very strange,
> because it sounds like you don't know what's going on in your own
> brain.  "I think X" often means "I'm not sure of X", so saying that
> you're unsure of what you do or don't like sounds odd indeed.

I think you're right.

On Fri, Feb 20, 2009 at 10:48 AM, Ary Borenszweig <ary@esperanto.org.ar> wrote:
> Jarrett Billingsley escribió:
>>
>> On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 11:45 AM, Ary Borenszweig <ary@esperanto.org.ar> wrote:
>>
>>>>> Also, "I think I don't like X" is not proper English.  Say "I don't
>>>>> think
>>>>> I like X" or just "I don't like X" instead.<
>>>
>>> To Jarrett: why isn't it proper English? It makes sense to me.
>>
>> Andrei did a pretty good job of explaining indirectly why it's wrong ;)
>>
>> If you say "I think <something about myself>", it sounds very strange, because it sounds like you don't know what's going on in your own brain.  "I think X" often means "I'm not sure of X", so saying that you're unsure of what you do or don't like sounds odd indeed.

And yet sometimes that is exactly the case.

---bb

"Jarrett Billingsley" <jarrett.billingsley@gmail.com> wrote in message news:mailman.799.1235084361.22690.digitalmars-d@puremagic.com...
> On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 4:06 PM, Derek Parnell <derek@psych.ward> wrote:
>> On Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:45:44 -0500, Jarrett Billingsley wrote:
>>
>>> Also, "I think I don't like X" is not proper English.  Say "I don't think I like X" or just "I don't like X" instead.
>>
>> Of course its proper English.
>>
>> "I think I don't like X" means that I'm undecided about whether or not I like X but I probably do not like it.
>>
>> "I don't think I like X" means that I *know* that I don't like X, there
>> is
>> no uncertainty.
>
> See, it's funny, because I would think "I don't think I like X" means that I'm undecided about whether or not I like X but I probably don't; and that "I don't like X" means that I know that I don't like it.  "I think I don't X" just sounds very unnatural to me.

I think I don't like "I think I don't like X".

Sorry, I had to say it ;)

On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 9:01 PM, Bill Baxter <wbaxter@gmail.com> wrote:
> And yet sometimes that is exactly the case.

Perhaps I'm just too absolute ;)

On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 6:31 PM, Derek Parnell <derek@psych.ward> wrote:
>> See, it's funny, because I would think "I don't think I like X" means that I'm undecided about whether or not I like X but I probably don't; and that "I don't like X" means that I know that I don't like it.  "I think I don't X" just sounds very unnatural to me.
>
> Maybe is a difference between American English and Australian English?

You might have something there.