Don't Like/Not Good

[Vonhelmet]

To "like something" is to express positive feelings towards it, they may not be particularly strong feelings but it is not a neutral state of being. To say "I don't like something" is to express the opposite viewpoint and hence you express a view that is negative towards it, again it may not involve strong feelings but it is taken to be a negative.

It's part of the limitations of language - if you wish to express a neutral viewpoint then say "I've got no feelings about it", "I don't care about it either way", "I'm utterly indifferent to it" but "don't like" is normally taken as an antonym of "like".

Technically, to say that you don't like something, just means that you don't like it. It could cover anything on the spectrum of liking that isn't an active liking. To dislike something would be to actively feel negatively towards it.

However, in practise, "don't like" and "dislike" are used interchangeably.

 

[guyfawkes5]

*Tells me I'm wrong, stumbles around in circles for a while, then finishes with exactly what I said at the very beginning of the debate*

facepalm.gif

This entire fracas started when a poster told another that one usage was correct over the other. I pointed out that both were correct - one through popular usage, the other through literary rectitude.

In summation, the post above has it.

 

[Abraham]

That's like saying, if you're not going up, you're definitely going down, or if you're not going left, you're definitely going right.

To say "I'm not going right" doesn't automatically mean I am going left, I could be going straight on, or not moving at all.

I can't tell whether you're agreeing or disagreeing with me but that was my point.

 

[Mr^B]

facepalm.gif

This entire fracas started when a poster told another that one usage was correct over the other. I pointed out that both were correct - one through popular usage, the other through literary rectitude.

In summation, the post above has it.

It would help if you worked out what I was disagreeing with you over. It wasn't the usage or meaning of "like/dislike/not like".

I haven't gone in any circles, the circles are you own through your initial misunderstanding of my post. Which was only made in jest anyway.

I fail to see the need to resort to insults and belittling though, that's not really necessary is it?