ALostInquirer@lemm.ee to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world · 15 days agoWhat sorts of punctuation do you wish existed, or were in common use in your language?en.wikipedia.orgexternal-linkmessage-square38fedilinkarrow-up111arrow-down10
arrow-up111arrow-down1external-linkWhat sorts of punctuation do you wish existed, or were in common use in your language?en.wikipedia.orgALostInquirer@lemm.ee to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world · 15 days agomessage-square38fedilink
minus-square𝕽𝖚𝖆𝖎𝖉𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖍@midwest.sociallinkfedilinkarrow-up0·15 days agoI wish English had a word like the German “doch,” to answer questions like “you’re not afraid?”
minus-squaresem@lemmy.blahaj.zonelinkfedilinkarrow-up0·15 days agoIf you said “doch” in response to that question, how would you translate what happened to an English speaker?
minus-squareValiantDust@feddit.orglinkfedilinkarrow-up0·14 days ago“Doch” is used to negate a negative question. So basically you are saying “Yes, I am afraid.”, but in one word. (Or is the correct negation “No, I am afraid.”? It’s really very confusing in English.)
minus-squareLongpork3@lemmy.nzlinkfedilinkarrow-up1·edit-214 days agoEnglish actualy did have terms for that, they just got a bit bastardised with “yea” and “nay” dropping out of common speech: Will they not go? — Yes, they will. Will they not go? — No, they will not. Will they go? — Yea, they will. Will they go? — Nay, they will not.
I wish English had a word like the German “doch,” to answer questions like “you’re not afraid?”
If you said “doch” in response to that question, how would you translate what happened to an English speaker?
“Doch” is used to negate a negative question. So basically you are saying “Yes, I am afraid.”, but in one word. (Or is the correct negation “No, I am afraid.”? It’s really very confusing in English.)
English actualy did have terms for that, they just got a bit bastardised with “yea” and “nay” dropping out of common speech:
Will they not go? — Yes, they will.
Will they not go? — No, they will not.
Will they go? — Yea, they will.
Will they go? — Nay, they will not.