[tlhIngan Hol] Two negations

[Lieven]

Am 01.01.2018 um 20:33 schrieb mayqel qunenoS:
> True. But the english "I didn't do nothing", isn't used in formal 
> speech. As I understand it, it is slang/informal.

When I learned English in school, they explained that somehow "nothing" 
can be split up into "not + anything". You can say "I see nothing" and 
"I do not see anything". Basically, "I don't see nothing" is just wrong. 
But it's true that some speakers are using this intentionally incorrect 
for emphasis. From a linguistic point of view, it is a double negation 
which leads to a positive result:

A: I see nothing.
B: I don't see nothing, I see a lot.

A: pagh vIlegh.
B: pagh vIleghbe'. Hoch vIlegh.

> Is klingon's not utilization of "two negatives" a conscious choice, or 
> is it an unconscious carry-over from english ?

Many grammatical issues in Klingon reveal its creator's English native 
language.

-- 
Lieven L. Litaer
aka the "Klingon Teacher from Germany"
http://www.klingonisch.com
http://www.klingonwiki.net/En/StarTrekDiscovery