GOE makes no sense

[Ladle Ghoulash 48,213]

2 minutes ago, Nagini said:

grammer error

Pls 😭

[imogen2133 427]

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.

[Nagini 3,977]

Just now, Ladle Ghoulash said:

Pls 😭

I should of been more creative 

[Ladle Ghoulash 48,213]

Just now, Nagini said:

I should of been more creative 

I’m not nothing unless I can spell grammar correctly iktr

[imogen2133 427]

2 minutes ago, Nagini said:

I should of been more creative 

should have*

Edited Wednesday at 12:22 PM by imogen2133

[Nagini 3,977]

Just now, imogen2133 said:

should have*

that's the joke 

[Nagini 3,977]

Y'all I know my grammer up and down don't play w/ me 

[imogen2133 427]

1 minute ago, Nagini said:

that's the joke 

oh whoops

[Ladle Ghoulash 48,213]

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.

[imogen2133 427]

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"