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Re:Hacker News' Reading Level by biotech on Monday December 13, 2010 @02:09AM (#1999680)
> I'd be lying if I said I don't doubt you are not incorrect

Holy Shnikes, that's a tough one to parse! I wasn't sure what you were saying here, so I'm gonna break it down, working from the end of the sentence:

1. I'd be lying if I said I don't doubt you are not incorrect

2. I'd be lying if I said I don't doubt you are CORRECT

3. I'd be lying if I said I don't think you are INCORRECT

4. I'd be lying if I said I think you are CORRECT

5. I think you are INCORRECT

The idea is that each of the previous statements are saying basically the same thing; I'm just cancelling negatives each time. Anyway, am I correct to assume that you think that the GP is incorrect?

Re:Hacker News' Reading Level by billswift on Monday December 13, 2010 @02:19AM (#1999705)
Your transition 2 -> 3 is not justifiable, "doubt" is not the opposite of "think". A better parsing leaves "doubt" alone and would end with: "I doubt you are correct."
Re:Hacker News' Reading Level by gimpf on Monday December 13, 2010 @05:28AM (#2000031)
My dear, you just lost the "don't".
Re:Hacker News' Reading Level by oh_ryan on Monday December 13, 2010 @06:04AM (#2000074)
I'd be lying if I said I don't doubt you are not incorrect

I'd be lying if I said I don't doubt you are correct

I'd be lying if I said I think you are correct

Re:Hacker News' Reading Level by nl on Monday December 13, 2010 @05:34PM (#2002237)
I had to triple check to make sure I got it right, and I wrote it.

Yes, I think the GP is incorrect.