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I would like to know how to respond clearly and correctly to the question

"Isn't it something I haven't watched?"

with an answer to the effect that the person hasn't watched it.

Sven Yargs
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user144014
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    *Yes, that's something you haven't watched it!* Such examples are confusing and thus, just 'yes' or 'no' will never work. – Maulik V Oct 23 '15 at 05:22
  • "No" is the answer I'm thinking but my wife thinks it should be "Yes" – user144014 Oct 23 '15 at 05:23
  • No, she's right but then it's better to complete the sentence. – Maulik V Oct 23 '15 at 05:23
  • Different people would interpret it differently I think, it's ambiguous. An answer which elaborate rather than simple 'yes' or 'no' is better. Technically, 'yes' would mean you never watched it. "Is it not something you have not watched", is broken down as "Is it not X", and "yes" implies "it is not X", which means, "it is not true the fact that I have not watched", i.e. "I have watched".

    People won't find it strange if you answer "No I have not watched it" or "Yes I have not watched it", either way, unless they were being pedantic about it.

     – Mobius Pizza Oct 23 '15 at 08:57
  • The answer "no"means the negative is true,the answer "yes" means the positive is true.But some comments should follow. – V.V. Oct 23 '15 at 11:18

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If you aren't sure whether the technically correct one-word answer should be yes or no, given the double negation embedded in the question, it seems quite possible that the person who asked the question may not know what to make of a one-word answer either. It isn't difficult to imagine even more-byzantine formulations that likewise formally invite a yes/no answer. For example:

"Isn't it not impossible that it mightn't be something I haven't watched?"

Whether you answer yes or no, an objective third party may well harbor doubts about what simple proposition you intend to affirm or deny. The clarifying part of the response is what comes after the yes or no. For this reason, if your interest is in clear real-world communication, rather than in the formally correct (but not especially useful) solution to a logic puzzle, I recommend omitting the one-word verdict and jumping instead to the meaningful part of the response:

"You haven't watched it."

Sven Yargs
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