Know nothing, Don't know anything, Don't know nothing

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I have seen very often the pharse "I don't know nothing". As per my understanding this is wrong. It should be "I don't know anything" and "I know nothing".

Am I correct? Please help me

[Alexandra1234]

You are correct.

Anything/Something - non specific

ANYTHING - used in questions and negative sentences

SOMETHING - used in the positive

NOTHING- specific

EG.
(non specific)
Do you have anything in your hand?
+ Yes, I have something in my hand.
- No, I don't have anything in my hand.

(specific)
What do you have in your hand?
+ I have a coin in my hand.
- I have nothing in my hand.

When you have 2 negatives, the meaning of the sentence becomes positive.

I don't want nothing to eat - means in fact, I want something to eat

I don't want anything to eat OR I want nothing to eat.

Hope it is helpful

[Sushan Ekanayake]

You are correct.

Anything/Something - non specific

ANYTHING - used in questions and negative sentences

SOMETHING - used in the positive

NOTHING- specific

EG.
(non specific)
Do you have anything in your hand?
+ Yes, I have something in my hand.
- No, I don't have anything in my hand.

(specific)
What do you have in your hand?
+ I have a coin in my hand.
- I have nothing in my hand.

When you have 2 negatives, the meaning of the sentence becomes positive.

I don't want nothing to eat - means in fact, I want something to eat

I don't want anything to eat OR I want nothing to eat.

Hope it is helpful

Thanks a lot. I also thought of that in the same manner. But in lots of places this is used in confusing as well as wrong ways

[massivedynamics]

There is no semantic difference between these two:

-I know nothing about that.
-I don’t know nothing’ about that.
The difference is one of register alone, where the first is standard English and the second is perfectly common but far more casual, and is not generally considered acceptable in formal writing save as reported speech.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

There is no semantic difference between these two:

-I know nothing about that.
-I don’t know nothing’ about that.
The difference is one of register alone, where the first is standard English and the second is perfectly common but far more casual, and is not generally considered acceptable in formal writing save as reported speech.

Though it is commonly used, should it have to be correct as well? When there are two negatives, why does not the final answer become positive?

[Imstaci-1]

The correct way is "I don't know anything"

I know nothing seems very loose and casual. Perhaps it's use would be deemed correct based on the character uttering the words

[Sushan Ekanayake]

The correct way is "I don't know anything"

I know nothing seems very loose and casual. Perhaps it's use would be deemed correct based on the character uttering the words

Such a use is logical. Yes, it is being used very casually