How to respond to such a negative question?

If a negative question is asked, and the answer is intended to confirm the negative expectation contained in the question, we would use a negative answer. If the answer is intended to contradict that negative expection, we use a positive answer.

1.
M: Amy doesn't speak Korean, right?
W: No, she doesn't speak Korean. She has only lived in Korea for three weeks.

2.
M: Amy doesn't speak Korean, right?
W: Yes, she does speak Korean. She has lived in Korea for three years!

Con did you know that off the top of your head (in which case, wow) or did you hafta look it up

If the latter, and if you don't mind this q, how long did the entire operation take

Now if someone asks a q of that sort, to construct my answer in its proper form I'd have to resort to a search. Ah but I'll copy the entire response, save it to Word

Yet how will remember the file name

Dale, I knew the answer already. It's not really a 'wow' thing. Every can think of a situation where they might be asked a question like "Your cat can't swim, isn't that right?" If the questioner's assumption is right, you would say "No, she can't swim", or something like that. If however Puss actually can swim, you would say "Yes, she can." It is common for people to ask questions which expect a certain answer, and it is equally common to answer them in one or other of the two possible ways. It's not rocket science. I suppose there is a third possible answer in this case, which is "I don't know".

Thank you Con

You'd think after 85 years I'd have made mental note of this apparent usage

some other answerer insists like this: would you please consider his opinion?-let me copy his words.


0

down vote

accept


1 is the right answer. There is a statement and a question asking whether the statement that was just made is correct or wrong. The statement is wrong, as explained in the answer. So to break it down: STATEMENT: Amy doesn't speak Korean. QUESTION: (Am I) right? ANSWER: No (you are not right) EXPLANATION: She does speak Korean. She has lived in Korea for three years!

Yes, you can answer it that way if you want. There are many ways.

Kim, no doubt Con is right, where we're more interested in collo than gram