Thread: Is there a difference

Is there any semantic difference between nothing and not anything, i.e.

I'll tell you nothing vs. I won't tell you anything
I know nothing vs. I don't know anything

No, none at all as far as I am aware. They are perfect synonyms.

As an aside, is it even possible to make that distinction in Russian? Both would be ya nichego ne znayu, wouldn't they?

(excuse the ugly translit, I'm on the other half's PC and she doesn't need cyrillic stickers on the keyboard on account of being able to touch-type in Russian)

Originally Posted by Ramil

Is there any semantic difference between nothing and not anything, i.e.

I'll tell you nothing vs. I won't tell you anything
I know nothing vs. I don't know anything

There is no semantic difference, but, of course there are normal and abnormal ways of using them.

"I'll tell you nothing" is something you would only say if you were very angry or defiant (like in the movies when someone is being questioned). In the same situation you could also say "I won't tell you ANYTHING (heavy stress)", but you can also say this in more common situations without the heavy stress, for instance, with friends who want you to tell a secret.

"I know nothing" was a famous phase on the american tv show Hogan's Heroes. It was said by a German soldier on that show and was a little bit funny. If you can say it with a German accent some people in the US will find it pretty funny.

It's more common to say "I don't know anything about that" than "I know nothing about that", but there is no difference in meaning.

Originally Posted by Ramil

Is there any semantic difference between nothing and not anything, i.e.

I'll tell you nothing vs. I won't tell you anything
I know nothing vs. I don't know anything

The latter variants are much more common and more correct in normal speech:

"I won't tell you anything" is what you should be saying. "I'll tell you nothing" is more emphatic and should only be used in certain contexts.