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The architecture of “not bad”: Decoding the Chinese source code of the void

(suggger.substack.com)
104 points Suggger | 3 comments | 11 Dec 25 14:21 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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kimixa ◴[11 Dec 25 21:23 UTC] No.46237348[source]▶
As a Brit, I'm not quite sure this article is right in it's declaration it's a universal "English" thing and not more "American English".
replies(5): >>46237401 #>>46238165 #>>46238176 #>>46238373 #>>46238445 #
1. chris_armstrong ◴[11 Dec 25 22:28 UTC] No.46238176[source]▶
I would say Australian English relies on this negation even more than British English, to the point of being confusing without more cultural context.
replies(2): >>46238986 #>>46241772 #
2. decimalenough ◴[11 Dec 25 23:46 UTC] No.46238986[source]▶
Yeah nah... nah yeah, you're right.
3. elyobo ◴[12 Dec 25 07:36 UTC] No.46241772[source]▶
Yeah, Kiwi English also, e.g. describing something as "not bad" rather than "good" is normal.

> How's things? > Not bad.