The Infamous "Not Un-"

Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and I am not unopinionated when it comes to the topic of grammar. [wrong buzzer] Let me be clear: There was absolutely nothing ungrammatical about that sentence. You can talk like that, if you want. It’s not unclear. It’s not uninformative. It’s not un-anything. What it is, however, is immensely annoying. “Not un” is, in my opinion, one of the most un-fortunate constructions to ever enter the English language. It seems to be primarily a holdout from older English. I’ve read some authors from the 1800s (cough: mostly economists) who seem to say something is “not unclear” or “not unreasonable” or some other such “not un” in just about every other sentence. Don’t do it. It’s ugly. It’s boring. It’s pedantic. It’s stale. That’s your Grammar Minute! Visit thegrammarminute.com for more tips and tricks.