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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE concept PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DITA Concept//EN" "concept.dtd">
<concept id="concept_cfx_gt4_z2b">
    <title>Rule 11</title>
    <shortdesc>Put statements in positive form.</shortdesc>
    <conbody>
        <p>Make definite assertions. Avoid tame, colorless, hesitating, non-committal language. Use
            the word <i>not</i> as a means of denial or in antithesis, never as a means of
            evasion.</p>
        <table outputclass="example" id="table_q41_1k3_z2b">
            <tgroup cols="2">
                <colspec colname="col1"/>
                <colspec colname="col2"/>
                <tbody>
                    <row>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col1" nameend="col1" outputclass="first">He was
                            not very often on time.</entry>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col2" nameend="col2" outputclass="second">He
                            usually came late.</entry>
                    </row>
                    <row>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col1" nameend="col1" outputclass="first">He did
                            not think that studying Latin was much use.</entry>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col2" nameend="col2" outputclass="second">He
                            thought the study of Latin useless.</entry>
                    </row>
                    <row>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col1" nameend="col1" outputclass="first">
                            <cite>The Taming of the Shrew</cite> is rather weak in spots.
                            Shakespeare does not portray Katharine as a very admirable character,
                            nor does Bianca remain long in memory as an important character in
                            Shakespeare's works.</entry>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col2" nameend="col2" outputclass="second">The
                            women in <cite>The Taming of the Shrew</cite> are unattractive.
                            Katharine is disagreeable, Bianca insignificant.</entry>
                    </row>
                </tbody>
            </tgroup>
        </table>
        <p>The last example, before correction, is indefinite as well as negative. The corrected
            version, consequently, is simply a guess at the writer's intention.</p>
        <p>All three examples show the weakness inherent in the word <i>not</i>. Consciously or
            unconsciously, the reader is dissatisfied with being told only what is not; he wishes to
            be told what is. Hence, as a rule, it is better to express even a negative in positive
            form.</p>
        <table outputclass="example" id="table_r41_1k3_z2b">
            <tgroup cols="2">
                <colspec colname="col1"/>
                <colspec colname="col2"/>
                <tbody>
                    <row>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col1" nameend="col1" outputclass="first">not
                            honest</entry>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col2" nameend="col2" outputclass="second"
                            >dishonest</entry>
                    </row>
                    <row>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col1" nameend="col1" outputclass="first">not
                            important</entry>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col2" nameend="col2" outputclass="second"
                            >trifling</entry>
                    </row>
                    <row>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col1" nameend="col1" outputclass="first">did not
                            remember</entry>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col2" nameend="col2" outputclass="second"
                            >forgot</entry>
                    </row>
                    <row>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col1" nameend="col1" outputclass="first">did not
                            pay any attention to</entry>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col2" nameend="col2" outputclass="second"
                            >ignored</entry>
                    </row>
                    <row>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col1" nameend="col1" outputclass="first">did not
                            have much confidence in</entry>
                        <entry morerows="0" namest="col2" nameend="col2" outputclass="second"
                            >distrusted</entry>
                    </row>
                </tbody>
            </tgroup>
        </table>
        <p>The antithesis of negative and positive is strong:</p>
        <lq>Not charity, but simple justice.</lq>
        <lq>Not that I loved Caesar less, but Rome the more. </lq>
        <p>Negative words other than <i>not</i> are usually strong:</p>
        <lq>The sun never sets upon the British flag. </lq>
    </conbody>
</concept>