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Topic : Using double negatives and sentence structure This is an extract from a book I am currently reading, the author escapes me at this minute, but i will update. OFTEN IN ACTUAL LIFE, and not - selfpublishingguru.com

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This is an extract from a book I am currently reading, the author escapes me at this minute, but i will update.

OFTEN IN ACTUAL LIFE, and not infrequently in the myths and the popular
tales, we encounter the dull case of the call unanswered;
for it is always possible to turn the ear to other interests.

My question is in relation to the authors use of double negatives. For example he says, not infrequently. Is it better practice here to write frequently e.g.
OFTEN IN ACTUAL LIFE, and frequently in the myths and the popular tales,...

Or is this a question of style? What are people thoughts on this?

as per @Thomas Myron comment

BELOW IS FOR MY REFERENCE, ABOVE HERE IS MY QUESTION

There is probably more to this senctence than i am getting. If I break this whole sentence down further to try and understand it better

part1: this part could be written on its own

OFTEN IN ACTUAL LIFE, we encounter the dull case of the call unanswered;
for it is always possible to turn the ear to other interests.

part 2: and this
and not infrequently in the myths and the popular
tales

So correct me if I am wrong but this is what he is saying in my own words:

Often in actual life and frequently in the myths and the popular tales,
we encounter the dull case of the call unanswered;
for it is always possible to turn the ear to other interests.

So there is my words of what he says:

Often in actual life and frequently in the myths and the popular tales,
we encounter the dull case of the call unanswered;
for it is always possible to turn the ear to other interests.

And then there is his way:

OFTEN IN ACTUAL LIFE, and not infrequently in the myths and the popular
tales, we encounter the dull case of the call unanswered;
for it is always possible to turn the ear to other interests.

Would anyone care to comment on the difference and which one is better(or easier to understand). Is it just a different style? Or is it just me and my english is not the best i.e. I have to write it down more simpler? Would appreciae peoples thoughts. I mean is the author consciously doing this or

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@Thomas I agree.It indeed is matter of personal taste and style either to sound eloquent or to lay emphasis on what is being said.
'I don't have nothing', had me confused but re-reading it over and over it can mean that the author is trying to lay stress on the fact as-
'I don't have anything and
'I 've got nothing'. Combining these sentences we get: 'I DON'T HAVE NOTHING'.'

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Not infrequently is a double negative, and is therefore technically grammatically incorrect. Not is obviously the first negative. The prefix in- is considered to be negative, as it means not. The same holds true for similar prefixes, such as im- and un-.

That being said, a negative prefix is far less obvious than a whole negative word. Authors will sometimes use the style you have found. It is likely that the author you are reading is just trying to sound more eloquent by adding more words with more syllables. It's a matter of taste and personal style.

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not infrequently

is not a double negative, (ok, it might be) but it does convey an exact meaning, even in slightly convoluted way.

I don't have nothing

is a textbook double negative, where one part of the statement cancels the other one, basically leading to the exact opposite meaning: "I have something".

The use of former is the matter of style, the latter is grammatically wrong. Or semantically. Or just bad English.

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