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by squiggleblaz
2285 days ago
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That sounds like a misplaced and ideological canned response, since I've never heard negative concord in this context. Most people would just accept it as getting confused about the number of negatives in a sentence - as indeed did the op. Not everything is simply informal grammar; real fleshy human beings do get confused when they try complicated sentences like double negatives. |
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You have a misplaced trust in your instincts. The following examples of this exact double-negative construction (“...wouldn’t be surprised if ... didn’t...”) are quoted from newspapers and BBC specials:
> But the seeds have been sown and I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't try, once she's feeling more confident herself, to persuade him into the deep end.
> "I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see there are a couple of days with some good news and very, very positive market news," Houge said, noting potential days of 10 percent spikes.
> "I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't lose $157,000 in taxes," Van Tuinen said.
> It was late, and I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't leave some of his audience back down the road somewhere impaled on point number 10 or 11.
Here’s a quote of John F. Kennedy using this construction in a recorded interview:
> President Kennedy: That's what I think. I would have been impeached. I think they would have moved to impeach. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't move to impeach right after this election, on the grounds that I said … and didn't do it … and let … I mean, I'd be …
I Googled these examples in five seconds. You could have too, but instead you chose to lob insults and embarrass yourself.