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Native EN parser here. I would never consider this usage correct except as a rhetorical (facetious) insult. People may well repeat it without understanding the

Native EN parser here. I would never consider this usage correct except as a rhetorical (facetious) insult. People may well repeat it without understanding the original nor their mistake. Although if enough people bust the syntax, it may attract descriptivist reporting, as with the widely observed malapropism "irregardless". https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/139448/never-fail-to-disappoint https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/139448/never-fai... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irregardless https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irregardless

kazinator 2y ago
I've never failed to win a game of mahjong against a bunch of grannies a Chinatown back room joint. I've never tried such a thing; therefore, I've never failed.
barrell 2y ago
It’s not a matter of correctness, but of understanding. OP definitely intended to imply the content does not disappoint, and used a colloquialism most native speakers would understand
- slippy 2y ago
  I am a native speaker and got the gist and saw the paradox, and found the phrasing a bit tortured by the triple negative. Thank you for explaining that this was a colloquialism. Now I have to go look up the etymology... And upon further inspection, this usage is actually a misnegation. "It is a veiled insult: an ironic form of insult delivery which is misinterpreted as flattery to the buffoon who is targeted by it, much to the entertainment of anyone else within earshot who understands the true meaning."
- hinkley 2y ago
  Only in the same sense that “could care less” is understandable but also means the opposite of the intention.
  - ftmch 2y ago
    There are East European languages, mostly Slavic ones, that have these weird double negatives which are grammatically correct and mean the opposite. A sentance such as: "I haven't never been there" means you've never been there.
scubbo 2y ago
Frankly, I could care less
hinkley 2y ago
I have only ever heard it used as a high brow burn, and a wickedly hard one at that.

kazinator 2y ago

I've never failed to win a game of mahjong against a bunch of grannies a Chinatown back room joint. I've never tried such a thing; therefore, I've never failed.

barrell 2y ago

It’s not a matter of correctness, but of understanding. OP definitely intended to imply the content does not disappoint, and used a colloquialism most native speakers would understand

slippy 2y ago
I am a native speaker and got the gist and saw the paradox, and found the phrasing a bit tortured by the triple negative. Thank you for explaining that this was a colloquialism. Now I have to go look up the etymology... And upon further inspection, this usage is actually a misnegation. "It is a veiled insult: an ironic form of insult delivery which is misinterpreted as flattery to the buffoon who is targeted by it, much to the entertainment of anyone else within earshot who understands the true meaning."
hinkley 2y ago
Only in the same sense that “could care less” is understandable but also means the opposite of the intention.
- ftmch 2y ago
  There are East European languages, mostly Slavic ones, that have these weird double negatives which are grammatically correct and mean the opposite. A sentance such as: "I haven't never been there" means you've never been there.

scubbo 2y ago

Frankly, I could care less

hinkley 2y ago

I have only ever heard it used as a high brow burn, and a wickedly hard one at that.