Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

not want to and want not to?

I didn’t want you to come here.

I wanted you not to come here.

Are these two almost the same in meaning? How would you describe their difference in nuance?

5 Answers

Relevance
  • 3 months ago
    Favorite Answer

    They mean essentially the same thing but sentence #2 is more clumsy. I would use sentence #2 for emphasis, that is: I wanted you NOT to come here.

    Otherwise, I'd go with sentence one. 

  • 3 months ago

    Yes.  And for many, they would be identical, but lots of people would choose a different placement for the "Not" depending on what they desire to emphasize.

    Also, I would not say the second sentence that way, I would say "I wanted you to not come here." but there are people who would argue that you should not split the infinitive (I do not accept that rule as valid, "to boldly go" is fine and perhaps even preferable, and does not have to be "to go boldly").

    For me, whether I would say "I did not want you to come here" or "I wanted you to not come here" depends on which aspect is more important, the desire part (not want) or the coming part (not come).

    Imagine never instead of not.  I never want, or to never come?  Big difference to me.

  • ?
    Lv 7
    3 months ago

    If you're just stating the fact, the first sentence would be universally used. The second would be used in one circumstance I can think of, when the other person specifically disobeyed or disregarded your order or your request. Even in that case more normal would be "I told you not to come here" or "I warned you not to come here."

  • RP
    Lv 7
    3 months ago

    The difference is between what you wanted and what the other person should or shouldn't do. It's a minimal differerence, but may seem significant bercause of word arrangement.

  • ?
    Lv 7
    3 months ago

    For the most part, they mean the same thing. There could be a difference in some cases.

    "I didn't want you to come here, but now that you're here, I'm happy."

    "I wanted you NOT to come here! Go home!"

    Your first sentence is the most common way of expressing it. 

    BTW, there is an even more complex version.

    "Aren't you happy to see me? Did you not want me to come?"

    "I didn't not want you to come, but I just didn't think you would. Of course, I'm happy to see you." 

    In that case, "I didn't not want you to come" is not the same as "I wanted you to come". It just means the speaker didn't think about it one way or the other. 

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.