<p>Semantically, &quot;not without sunshine&quot; and &quot;slightly sunny&quot; have the same meaning. In my opinion, using double negative here, is for expressing and emphasizing the feeling of &quot;not dark&quot;. It has a slightly different feeling from &quot;a bit of sun&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-29T01:02:57.263Z
2023-06-29T01:02:57.263Z
Havier
<p>I think to be better understand <code>因为不是没有阳光</code>, considering the context. I found a vocabulary word that can help us better understand. In chinese is <strong>淡红</strong>, in English is redness,  &quot;淡红&quot; can be understood as a slightly reddish color(淡红可以理解成有一点红或者有一丝丝红). Don't forget that the sun is red in color.</p>
<p>So I think change <code>因为不是没有阳光</code> to <code>因为不是没有一点阳光</code> may be can easily understand.</p>
<p><code>因为不是没有一点阳光</code> means 还是有一点阳光(there is still a little bit of sunshine), 就是这一点阳光导致了小山上是灰里带着些<strong>淡红</strong>(result to &quot;the grayness on small mountains brings with it some <strong>redness</strong>&quot;).</p>
<p>I think you already understand this sentence now.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-29T09:35:50.243Z
2023-06-29T12:57:19.200Z
2023-06-29T12:57:19.200Z
Tom
<p>I guess this was what he wanted to say with a style of his own.</p>
<p>天空是灰矇矇的, 遠山看來更灰暗, 但偶ㄦ破云而出的陽光照耀在小山上, 使其看來灰裡帶紅....</p>
<ul>
<li>不是沒有阳光, 是它躲在云層後, 時隱時現.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-29T21:58:45.760Z
2023-06-29T22:13:27.330Z
2023-06-29T22:13:27.330Z
r13
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/EEu19.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EEu19.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>远处有些小山，也是灰色的，比天空更深一些；<strong>因为不是没有阳光</strong>，小山上是灰里带着些淡红，好像野鸽脖子上的彩闪。<br />
猫城记，老舍, p.7 (<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/XJfzx.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">photo</a>)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'd translate this to:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In the distance there are some small mountains, which are also gray, darker than the sky; <strong>因为不是没有阳光</strong>, the grayness on small mountains brings with it some redness, like the glistening of a wild dove's neck.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It feels like the double negative used in 因为不是没有阳光 is intended to say something like &quot;because there's still a wee bit of sun&quot;, equivalent to something like 还略有阳光.  I'm unclear on this point.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: 1. Why does 老舍 in《猫城记》 use the phrase 不是没有 in 因为不是没有阳光?</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: 2. <code>因为不是没有阳光</code>在这段中怎么理解？或者说怎么可以更好地理解<code>因为不是没有阳光</code>?</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: 3. <code>因为不是没有阳光</code>有没有可能是个病句？存在印刷错误？</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-29T14:51:31.170Z
Are you translating Lao She(老舍)'s Chinese version of "Cat City Chronicles"(《猫城记》) into an English edition?
Tom
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-30T01:08:25.613Z
No, I'm just reading it (again).  I translated this part to indicate my level of understanding.
Becky 李蓓
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-30T01:14:08.910Z
Is English your native language?
Tom
<meaning-in-context><emphasis>
Why does 老舍 in《猫城记》 use the phrase 不是没有 in 因为不是没有阳光?
# Why does 老舍 in《猫城记》 use the phrase 不是没有 in 因为不是没有阳光?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-06-29)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/EEu19.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/EEu19.jpg)

> 远处有些小山，也是灰色的，比天空更深一些；**因为不是没有阳光**，小山上是灰里带着些淡红，好像野鸽脖子上的彩闪。  
> 猫城记，老舍, p.7 ([photo](https://i.sstatic.net/XJfzx.jpg))

I'd translate this to:

> In the distance there are some small mountains, which are also gray, darker than the sky; **因为不是没有阳光**, the grayness on small mountains brings with it some redness, like the glistening of a wild dove's neck.

It feels like the double negative used in 因为不是没有阳光 is intended to say something like "because there's still a wee bit of sun", equivalent to something like 还略有阳光. I'm unclear on this point.

**Question**: 1. Why does 老舍 in《猫城记》 use the phrase 不是没有 in 因为不是没有阳光?

**Question**: 2. `因为不是没有阳光`在这段中怎么理解？或者说怎么可以更好地理解`因为不是没有阳光`?

**Question**: 3. `因为不是没有阳光`有没有可能是个病句？存在印刷错误？

**Tags:** meaning-in-context, emphasis

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Are you translating Lao She(老舍)'s Chinese version of "Cat City Chronicles"(《猫城记》) into an English edition?  
> **username_0**: No, I'm just reading it (again).  I translated this part to indicate my level of understanding.  
> **username_1**: Is English your native language?  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-06-29. Score: 2

Semantically, "not without sunshine" and "slightly sunny" have the same meaning. In my opinion, using double negative here, is for expressing and emphasizing the feeling of "not dark". It has a slightly different feeling from "a bit of sun".


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### Answer by username_1 on 2023-06-29. Score: 1

I think to be better understand `因为不是没有阳光`, considering the context. I found a vocabulary word that can help us better understand. In chinese is **淡红**, in English is redness, "淡红" can be understood as a slightly reddish color(淡红可以理解成有一点红或者有一丝丝红). Don't forget that the sun is red in color.

So I think change `因为不是没有阳光` to `因为不是没有一点阳光` may be can easily understand.

`因为不是没有一点阳光` means 还是有一点阳光(there is still a little bit of sunshine), 就是这一点阳光导致了小山上是灰里带着些**淡红**(result to "the grayness on small mountains brings with it some **redness**").

I think you already understand this sentence now.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2023-06-29. Score: 0

I guess this was what he wanted to say with a style of his own.

天空是灰矇矇的, 遠山看來更灰暗, 但偶ㄦ破云而出的陽光照耀在小山上, 使其看來灰裡帶紅....

* 不是沒有阳光, 是它躲在云層後, 時隱時現.


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