Denied Quote by Jonathan Raban
“Over emphatic negatives always suggest that what is being denied may be what is really being asserted.”
About This Quote
Overly strong negations often hide the true assertion behind denial.
In simple terms: Negatives can mask true meaning.
Key Takeaway
Watch for hidden affirmations.
Themes
language
logic
communication
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
interpretive
critical
When to use this quote
- debates
- writing
- critical analysis
Key Concepts
psychology
argumentation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you detect the underlying claim?
- When does denial become assertion?
A Different Perspective
Negatives may still be ambiguous.
![“My new city [Seattle] and its hinterland felt deceptively homely. Their similar latitude gave them the angular light and lingering evenings I was used to. Their damp marine weather, blowing in from the southwest, came in the right direction. When the mountains are hidden under a low sky, one might…” quote by Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8e6/jonathan-raban-11981_britain_my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-f_363879.jpg)
![“The [travel] writer, looking back at the journey from a distance of a year or two (or three), is a different character from the hapless character who undertook the trip: wise after the event, with the leisure to tease out meanings from the experience that the distracted traveler never had, and…” quote by Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e55/jonathan-raban-11981_alter-ego_the-travel-writer-looking-back-at-the-jo_461527.jpg)
