This is about the verb ''to mind''. First, it's confusing because ''mind'' is also a noun. Mind means mental spirit.
But the main confusion is in the ''do you mind if I do X'' syntax. This essentially means ''would it make you upset if I do X''?
There are two possible answers:
1) Yes
2) No
The problem is, that it is inverted. If you don't mind something, you're supposed to say ''yes'' or ''sure''. If you do mind, you're supposed to say ''no''.
My line of thinking is this:
Question: Do you mind if I do this?
Answer 1: No, I don't mind. You can go ahead and do this.
Answer 2: Yes, I mind it. Don't do this.
At the beginning of the video game Indigo Prophecy, there is a cop who comes to your house, and he asks if you mind him coming in to have a look.
I picked the option ''No'' in the sense of ''No, I don't mind it. Come in''. But he took it as ''I mind'' and he became suspicious of me.
This syntax is confusing. Yes means no, and no means yes. It is like a woman! This is a female syntax!
@canker sore @Veyron
But the main confusion is in the ''do you mind if I do X'' syntax. This essentially means ''would it make you upset if I do X''?
There are two possible answers:
1) Yes
2) No
The problem is, that it is inverted. If you don't mind something, you're supposed to say ''yes'' or ''sure''. If you do mind, you're supposed to say ''no''.
My line of thinking is this:
Question: Do you mind if I do this?
Answer 1: No, I don't mind. You can go ahead and do this.
Answer 2: Yes, I mind it. Don't do this.
At the beginning of the video game Indigo Prophecy, there is a cop who comes to your house, and he asks if you mind him coming in to have a look.
I picked the option ''No'' in the sense of ''No, I don't mind it. Come in''. But he took it as ''I mind'' and he became suspicious of me.
This syntax is confusing. Yes means no, and no means yes. It is like a woman! This is a female syntax!
@canker sore @Veyron
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