Thread: Double negative?

Hi there! I'm translating a contract where I've found the following sentence:

"No third party publisher is not, has not, or ever will be, directly or indirectly, an equity investor in (name of company)."

For context reasons, I understand that no third party should be an investor in the company.

Is this a double negative case? Or, in any case, how do you interpret the above sentence?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Guadalupe,

"No third party publisher is not, has not, or ever will be, directly or indirectly, an equity investor in (name of company)."

In English this should be written:

"No third party publisher is, has not been, or ever will be, directly or indirectly, an equity investor in (name of company)."

or better

"No third party publisher is, (or) has ever been, or ever will be, directly or indirectly, an equity investor in (name of company)."

Thanks, Vicente!

This sentence is part of my source text, and seemed awkward to me. That's why I wanted to check I had interpreted it correctly.

Have a nice week

PS: Here is my translation: Ningún tercero editor es, fue o será, en forma directa o indirecta, inversor en acciones de (name of company).

Ah OK, I understand now!

You were right to question that double negative! It is a poorly written source sentence.

Cheers Guadalupe!