You've never won f**k all

[Once were Biscuitmen]

Always makes me smile when opposition fans sing this at us given that it's a double negative so, in fact, they are implying we've won lots of things.

Despite wracking my brains, I've yet to think of a witty reply though. Can't imagine singing 'That's a double negative...' to have much of an impact. Any ideas?

As English grammar does not take its rule directly from mathematics this is fact completely fine. What the speakers are doing is actually emphasizing the negative, there is no rule against it.

Although in this specific case they are probably far too thick to realize they are quite correct...

I disagree.

However, if they did sing You've never never won anything, it might be ok as emphasizing the negative. But they sang You've never won f*** all. Now, we know f**k all means nothing and therefore saying You've never won nothing would mean that you have won something.

Logic and grammar are two different things. One does not drive the other. Grammatically you are wrong.

God I love the internet.

[RoyalBlue]

Once were Biscuitmen, you must have been taught English in a very different school to that which I attended. Your user name also appears to confirm that fact !

[SLAMMED]

I aint never not done nothing so you cant not blame me for something that i aint never not done.

[MICKLEOVER ROYAL]

If I remember correctly...

During a game in the 1st season in the Prem at the Mad Stad some oppo fans did the old "where were you when you were shit" at us and we responded with "where were we when you were shit".

Classic. Reading - home of the enigmatic chant.

IIRC...

"You were there when we were shit".

Or is that just Man City & Fulham?

Wigan, Pompey, Hull, Bolton, Blackburn, Villa

[Ian Royal]

I still think the fact it's factually incorrect should be pointed out.

To the tune of "You're getting wet, we're not":

We've won the Simod,
We've won the Simod
You've not,
You've not.



.

[West Stand Man]

Logic and grammar are two different things. One does not drive the other. Grammatically you are wrong.

No, he isn't.

Grammatically it is totally clear that this is a double negative that produces a positive; in simple terms it is p*ss poor English. The literal translation is, as suggested "You have never won nothing" which quite clearly means that you have won something. If you are having trouble following that grammatical chain then I am sorry for you, but you are still not right.

[Winchester Royal]

F**k me, can this thread get any more boring?

[West Stand Man]

Trust me, it can and probably will if the recent past is anything to go by.

[Alan Partridge]

F**k me, can this thread get any more boring?

A tediously crap thread with loads of intermediates posting on it, welcome to HNA 2009.

[Ian Royal]

F**k me, can this thread get any more boring?

A tediously crap thread with loads of intermediates posting on it, welcome to HNA 2009.

Who are you?

[seahawk10]

One hundred and six,
One hundred and Six,
We hold the record,
One hundred and Six.

This is it, I like it.

why dont you get it going at games then?

Because he lives on the American Pacific coast

Indeed, but if I run into any Wolverhampton fans when I am out and about in my Reading FC replica shirt and they start singing that we have won f*ck all, I will immediately retort with the chant above. You can count on it.

[Son of Len]

[quote="SpaceCruiser
However, if they did sing You've never never won anything, it might be ok as emphasizing the negative. But they sang You've never won f*** all. Now, we know f**k all means nothing and therefore saying You've never won nothing would mean that you have won something.

Logic and grammar are two different things. One does not drive the other. Grammatically you are wrong.

God I love the internet.[/quote]
I agree. It's not a double negative and the only logical retort is:

We won all the f***s
We won all the f***s
You can't f***
We have all the f***s

Er... nevermind.

Just go with the one-oh-six thingy. It says it all.

[Upper West Ginger]

I'd go with the sarcastic self-deprecation ...

"You're such a big club
You're such a big club
We bow down before you
You're such a big club."

['lista]

Depending on the opposition (would work with most/all teams in the championship and half of the teams in the prem) we could reply using the same tune

The Past
You're living in the past
You're living in the past
You're living in the past

I thought about this one.

Of course, the obvious response is:

A Past
At least we've got a past
At least we've got a past
At least we've got a past

Though I suspect most Wolves fans would be too thick to arrive at this response within 90 minutes.

[Wax Jacket]

Logic and grammar are two different things. One does not drive the other. Grammatically you are wrong.

No, he isn't.

Grammatically it is totally clear that this is a double negative that produces a positive; in simple terms it is p*ss poor English. The literal translation is, as suggested "You have never won nothing" which quite clearly means that you have won something. If you are having trouble following that grammatical chain then I am sorry for you, but you are still not right.

that's not grammar, it's semantics, ie the intention carried in a word uttered by the user. so gramatically you're talking shit.

[Upper West Ginger]

Logic and grammar are two different things. One does not drive the other. Grammatically you are wrong.

No, he isn't.

Grammatically it is totally clear that this is a double negative that produces a positive; in simple terms it is p*ss poor English. The literal translation is, as suggested "You have never won nothing" which quite clearly means that you have won something. If you are having trouble following that grammatical chain then I am sorry for you, but you are still not right.

that's not grammar, it's semantics, ie the intention carried in a word uttered by the user. so gramatically you're talking shit.

There is a difference between the written and spoken versions of the language.
Use of a double negative in written English is poor practice, and can be said to be ungrammatical. However in spoken (or indeed chanted) English it is commonly acceptable.

Yours sincerely

A.Pedant

[Big Bears Blouse]

I aint never not done nothing so you cant not blame me for something that i aint never not done.

i have done something so you can blame me for something i haven't done

nice?!

[Horsham Royal]

However in spoken (or indeed chanted) English it is commonly acceptable.

Not in schools it ain't.

[West Stand Man]

No, he isn't.

Grammatically it is totally clear that this is a double negative that produces a positive; in simple terms it is p*ss poor English. The literal translation is, as suggested "You have never won nothing" which quite clearly means that you have won something. If you are having trouble following that grammatical chain then I am sorry for you, but you are still not right.

that's not grammar, it's semantics, ie the intention carried in a word uttered by the user. so gramatically you're talking shit.[/quote]

I just love jousting with half wits who defend the indefensible because they don't know any better. When you can speak and write grammatical English return for another bout of jousting. Until then - byeeee.

[West Stand Man]

There is a difference between the written and spoken versions of the language.
Use of a double negative in written English is poor practice, and can be said to be ungrammatical. However in spoken (or indeed chanted) English it is commonly acceptable.

Yours sincerely

A.Pedant

No, not commonly acceptable but commonly used (wrongly of course).

This not as much fun as talking about RFC - but what the hell, I can cope with it. You too can go for some lessons in grammar and then come back for another joust.