query dear linguists working double negative constructions like nt come looking examples like find examples think cover types double negatives would grateful could make sen tences using like following examples could agree analysis basically understatements litotes obscure speaker real intention dr larry horn _ natural history negation _ cites exemplifies detail double negatives un x constructions made comments type assume like un x imply understatements litotes also irony agree analysis unfortunately could find examples implying irony bolinger 1980 states unselfish act admit ironically euphemistic agree ironi cal mechanism ironical euphemism arises sperber wilson 1981 1992 theory echoic utterance cover types irony would grateful comment matter following examples could collected 1 jim really must come round place evening b yes like course two nt drink b well _ nt _ drink hurford heasley 1983 284 _ semantics course book _ cup minoru nakau 1994 _ nin chi imiron genri principles cognitive semantics taishukan written japanese also quotes example saying b nt drink echo metalingui stic expression words two nt drink also b definitely say drink rather obscure intention hesitate admit drink lot b nt say drink sense _ nt drink _ quoted like _ nt drink _ nt _ external negation negates prenegated assertion inapproriate false drink internal negation two examples also nakau 1994 collection 2 odd _ coffeegrounds _ plural may composed particles obviously _ _ many anyone able count point even striking _ dregs _ _ lees _ largely liquid f r palmer 1990 review articles _ semantics grammar _ anna wierzbicka _ journal linguistics _ 26 223233 3 example nouns _ heap _ _ committee _ _ _ semantically plural syntactically _ _ plural wierzbicka 1991 semantic rules know exceptions _ studies language _ 15 371398 next example one found r b parker novel _ valedic tion _ 1984 contrary analysis understatement kind emphatic expression think interpret example 4 susan said taken job san francisco put glass counter could feel begin shrink inward leaving tonight said planned stay night tell morning cant _ cant _ tell r b parker _ valediction _ p 19 interpretation sentences question cant tell morning _ cant _ tell cant help telling cant echoed abbreaviated adverbials different interpretation correct would grateful reply thanks lot advance best wishes hiroaki tanaka faculty integrated arts sciences tokushima university japan e mail hirot ias tokushimau ac jp