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Subject: Re: an infinite [was: infinate] loop
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"Philip Anderson" <phil.anderson@amsjv.com> wrote in message
news:3B52B331.7B059E30@amsjv.com...
> Robert Dewar wrote:
> >
> <snip request for a reference, which would be interesting>
>
> > To me in english is it just as clear to say
> >
> > "if you are free today, can you ...
> >
> > "if you are not busy today, can you ...
> >
> > And it would be interesting to see "studies* refuting this ...
>
>
> In this case with a simple negative I don't think there is a difference,
> but it changes with more complicated conditions.  Consider:
>
> "If you are not stress-free ..."
> v
> "If you are stressed ..."
>
> or
>
> "If it is not raining or snowing ..." where English has no rule that
> "not" has precedence over "or" or vice versa.

To quote my favorite old example of that:

I couldn't fail to disagree with you less...