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Article: Not nothing: shades of public space. (Interpreting Space/Place).
- Article from:
- Journal of Australian Studies
- Article date:
- January 1, 2003
- Author:
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Not nothing: n, not anything, is untrue or unimportant; negative adverb
In English, two negatives equal a positive: `not nothing', therefore, means something. Nothing is a word commonly used to describe places considered ugly or not of value. This perception often occurs when something is not understood or threatens our understanding--the reaction to which is either to overlook it completely or view it in a negative light. The double negative of `not nothing' reflects the position of this article: that something can be found in `nothing' by re-examining those things that seem inconsequential, such as waste or leftovers. I intend to follow the lead of Benjamin ...