“The teacher didn't bore me to death”: Did the teacher bore me slightly, or did he not bore me at all?

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When we place a negative word before expressions like bore to death, does it negate the word bore, therefore making boredom non-existent? Or does it negate the whole expression, making boredom slightly existent? Or does it all depend on context, and the intention of the speaker? For example, If I said:




The teacher taught me how to solve math problems with fun. He didn't bore me to death.




Does it mean: He didn't bore me at all? or does it mean: He slightly bored me but not as much as, say, the other less-experienced math teacher who typically does.










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    When we place a negative word before expressions like bore to death, does it negate the word bore, therefore making boredom non-existent? Or does it negate the whole expression, making boredom slightly existent? Or does it all depend on context, and the intention of the speaker? For example, If I said:




    The teacher taught me how to solve math problems with fun. He didn't bore me to death.




    Does it mean: He didn't bore me at all? or does it mean: He slightly bored me but not as much as, say, the other less-experienced math teacher who typically does.










    share|improve this question























      up vote
      2
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      2
      down vote

      favorite











      When we place a negative word before expressions like bore to death, does it negate the word bore, therefore making boredom non-existent? Or does it negate the whole expression, making boredom slightly existent? Or does it all depend on context, and the intention of the speaker? For example, If I said:




      The teacher taught me how to solve math problems with fun. He didn't bore me to death.




      Does it mean: He didn't bore me at all? or does it mean: He slightly bored me but not as much as, say, the other less-experienced math teacher who typically does.










      share|improve this question













      When we place a negative word before expressions like bore to death, does it negate the word bore, therefore making boredom non-existent? Or does it negate the whole expression, making boredom slightly existent? Or does it all depend on context, and the intention of the speaker? For example, If I said:




      The teacher taught me how to solve math problems with fun. He didn't bore me to death.




      Does it mean: He didn't bore me at all? or does it mean: He slightly bored me but not as much as, say, the other less-experienced math teacher who typically does.







      grammaticality negation






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      asked 5 hours ago









      Sara

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          Strictly as written, we cannot determine whether the person was not bored at all or merely bored a less than lethal amount. The particular meaning depends on context and on emphasis.




          He didn't bore me to death.




          Someone else may have bored the person instead.




          He didn't bore me to death.




          This is similar to the version without emphasis. We can't really tell whether the person was bored at all, but it would be reasonable that they were not bored.




          He didn't bore me to death.




          Maybe he did something else that was lethal.




          He didn't bore me to death.




          Maybe he bored someone else to death.




          He didn't bore me to death.




          The emphasis would likely imply that there was some boredom, just not a lethal amount.



          The same sentence can be understood rather differently depending on the context or emphasis.



          To disambiguate the meaning, we would need to make the sentence more explicit, such as:




          He bored me, but not to death.







          share|improve this answer




















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            1 Answer
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            active

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            1 Answer
            1






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

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            active

            oldest

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            up vote
            4
            down vote













            Strictly as written, we cannot determine whether the person was not bored at all or merely bored a less than lethal amount. The particular meaning depends on context and on emphasis.




            He didn't bore me to death.




            Someone else may have bored the person instead.




            He didn't bore me to death.




            This is similar to the version without emphasis. We can't really tell whether the person was bored at all, but it would be reasonable that they were not bored.




            He didn't bore me to death.




            Maybe he did something else that was lethal.




            He didn't bore me to death.




            Maybe he bored someone else to death.




            He didn't bore me to death.




            The emphasis would likely imply that there was some boredom, just not a lethal amount.



            The same sentence can be understood rather differently depending on the context or emphasis.



            To disambiguate the meaning, we would need to make the sentence more explicit, such as:




            He bored me, but not to death.







            share|improve this answer
























              up vote
              4
              down vote













              Strictly as written, we cannot determine whether the person was not bored at all or merely bored a less than lethal amount. The particular meaning depends on context and on emphasis.




              He didn't bore me to death.




              Someone else may have bored the person instead.




              He didn't bore me to death.




              This is similar to the version without emphasis. We can't really tell whether the person was bored at all, but it would be reasonable that they were not bored.




              He didn't bore me to death.




              Maybe he did something else that was lethal.




              He didn't bore me to death.




              Maybe he bored someone else to death.




              He didn't bore me to death.




              The emphasis would likely imply that there was some boredom, just not a lethal amount.



              The same sentence can be understood rather differently depending on the context or emphasis.



              To disambiguate the meaning, we would need to make the sentence more explicit, such as:




              He bored me, but not to death.







              share|improve this answer






















                up vote
                4
                down vote










                up vote
                4
                down vote









                Strictly as written, we cannot determine whether the person was not bored at all or merely bored a less than lethal amount. The particular meaning depends on context and on emphasis.




                He didn't bore me to death.




                Someone else may have bored the person instead.




                He didn't bore me to death.




                This is similar to the version without emphasis. We can't really tell whether the person was bored at all, but it would be reasonable that they were not bored.




                He didn't bore me to death.




                Maybe he did something else that was lethal.




                He didn't bore me to death.




                Maybe he bored someone else to death.




                He didn't bore me to death.




                The emphasis would likely imply that there was some boredom, just not a lethal amount.



                The same sentence can be understood rather differently depending on the context or emphasis.



                To disambiguate the meaning, we would need to make the sentence more explicit, such as:




                He bored me, but not to death.







                share|improve this answer












                Strictly as written, we cannot determine whether the person was not bored at all or merely bored a less than lethal amount. The particular meaning depends on context and on emphasis.




                He didn't bore me to death.




                Someone else may have bored the person instead.




                He didn't bore me to death.




                This is similar to the version without emphasis. We can't really tell whether the person was bored at all, but it would be reasonable that they were not bored.




                He didn't bore me to death.




                Maybe he did something else that was lethal.




                He didn't bore me to death.




                Maybe he bored someone else to death.




                He didn't bore me to death.




                The emphasis would likely imply that there was some boredom, just not a lethal amount.



                The same sentence can be understood rather differently depending on the context or emphasis.



                To disambiguate the meaning, we would need to make the sentence more explicit, such as:




                He bored me, but not to death.








                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 4 hours ago









                Tashus

                1,2748




                1,2748



























                     

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