Ladle Ghoulash 55,394 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 2 minutes ago, Nagini said: grammer error Pls 😭 We have forgotten our public MANNERS Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
imogen2133 726 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 11 minutes ago, Ladle Ghoulash said: “Not nothing” is a double negative, which becomes a positive. The whole rhetorical structure of the chorus is that she’s working backwards from a negative assumption (low self-esteem) to a positive affirmation (self-confidence). “Unless” in this context is a conditional, which means that the negative assumption she’s making is conditioning her self-worth on her own perception of her capability. I don’t disagree that it’s unnatural, but I think it’s deliberate because it reflects the fact that the mindset she’s trying to work her away out of is fundamentally one based on negative self-characterization to the point that the best she can do is refute those thoughts to work towards aspiring to be stronger/more confident/freer. I know all of that and know it is supposed to be an empowering and uplifting part of the song and her working towards being strong but if you apply the double negative then the lyric would be "I'm something unless I know I can" which still doesn't make sense. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nagini 4,303 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 Just now, Ladle Ghoulash said: Pls 😭 I should of been more creative Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladle Ghoulash 55,394 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 Just now, Nagini said: I should of been more creative I’m not nothing unless I can spell grammar correctly iktr We have forgotten our public MANNERS 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
imogen2133 726 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 (edited) 2 minutes ago, Nagini said: I should of been more creative should have* Edited June 3 by imogen2133 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nagini 4,303 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 Just now, imogen2133 said: should have* that's the joke 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nagini 4,303 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 Y'all I know my grammer up and down don't play w/ me Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
imogen2133 726 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 1 minute ago, Nagini said: that's the joke oh whoops Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladle Ghoulash 55,394 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 1 minute ago, imogen2133 said: I know all of that and know it is supposed to be an empowering and uplifting part of the song and her working towards being strong but if you apply the double negative then the lyric would be "I'm something unless I know I can" which still doesn't make sense. The way that I read it is that she’s not just negating just the word “nothing,” she’s negating the whole premise “I’m nothing unless I know I can,” which is an entirely defensible rhetorical structure. We have forgotten our public MANNERS Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
imogen2133 726 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 4 minutes ago, Ladle Ghoulash said: The way that I read it is that she’s not just negating just the word “nothing,” she’s negating the whole premise “I’m nothing unless I know I can,” which is an entirely defensible rhetorical structure. Well either way it is still very clunky and and a better lyric which makes much more sense would be "I am nothing, unless I know I can" Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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