This confused me: "- If the main verb is __NOT used with negations__, then you CANNOT use the ne explétif. - If the main verb is __used with a negation__, you can use the ne explétif, but it is considered optional"
I asked Claude (which is an AI and can make mistakes).
" The text has it backwards. The traditional rule is the opposite:
If the main clause is affirmative (no negation), the ne explétif is used (optionally, in formal/literary style).If the main clause is negative, the ne explétif is dropped, because adding it would create ambiguity or redundancy with the real negation.Examples:
Je sors sans qu'il ne le sache — main clause affirmative (je sors) → ne explétif is appropriate here.Je ne sors pas sans qu'il le sache — main clause already negative (je ne sors pas) → the ne explétif is omitted to avoid confusion."Is this a conflict between the two explanations, or am I (likely) just misunderstanding?
