Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
not to mention vs let alone
English answer:
see explanation
Added to glossary by
Kardi Kho
Feb 4, 2003 14:09
21 yrs ago
20 viewers *
English term
not to mention vs let alone
English
Art/Literary
Linguistics
grammar
Would you say that there are differences in the uses of "let alone" and "not to mention"?
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
Responses
Responses
13 hrs
Selected
subtle differences
'Let alone' is used after a statement to emphasize that because the first thing is not true or possible, the next thing cannot be true or possible either.
e.g. I wouldn't even call him, let alone invite him to my house. (Lucy's example)
'Not to mention' used to introduce extra information and emphasize what you are saying.
e.g. Her new flat is much cheaper, not to mention easier to get to.
I also agree with Ruth that 'let alone' is only used with the negatives, while 'not to mention' with both.
HTH
e.g. I wouldn't even call him, let alone invite him to my house. (Lucy's example)
'Not to mention' used to introduce extra information and emphasize what you are saying.
e.g. Her new flat is much cheaper, not to mention easier to get to.
I also agree with Ruth that 'let alone' is only used with the negatives, while 'not to mention' with both.
HTH
Reference:
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Perhaps a bit unfair after so many good and fast replies, the last answerer got a fine synthesis of what the problems posed, probably learning from the trials of early answerers.
thanks everybody, I learn a lot this way"
+2
4 mins
Libero_Lang_Lab
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
United Kingdom
The sports specialists
Native in: English
Works in: Russian to English, English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
semantically they play more or less the same role...
...but syntactically i would say that 'let alone' sits more comfortably with verbal phrases, while not to mention tends more to predicate nouns/noun phrases.
that is not a hard and fast rule by any stretch of the imagination, and may be about my personal preferences rather than correct usage...
e.g. i'm not even thinking about her, let alone talking to her.
i haven't finished the first job, not to mention all of the others that are still waiting to be completed.
that is not a hard and fast rule by any stretch of the imagination, and may be about my personal preferences rather than correct usage...
e.g. i'm not even thinking about her, let alone talking to her.
i haven't finished the first job, not to mention all of the others that are still waiting to be completed.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Lucy Phillips
: I think you've nailed the grammar point - my own examples below.
7 mins
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thanks - you're examples are good ones. i think the distinction is both semantic (as david's example's show) and syntactic (as tsmart's examples show) - so we're all right really.
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| agree |
EDLING (X)
26 mins
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+12
5 mins
David Knowles
Native in English
&
English
Specialist in Civil Law & Contracts
Native in: English 
Works in: Russian to English, English, Ukrainian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
40
"let alone" is more negative. See examples
He doesn't know French, let alone Russian!
I go to France for the scenery, not to mention the food!
not to mention = as well as
let alone = still less
I go to France for the scenery, not to mention the food!
not to mention = as well as
let alone = still less
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
cmwilliams (X)
11 mins
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| agree |
Sam D (X)
21 mins
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| agree |
EDLING (X)
25 mins
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| agree |
Carolyn Denoncourt
55 mins
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| agree |
jerrie
1 hr
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| agree |
Bonita Mc Donald
2 hrs
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| agree |
Spiros Doikas
3 hrs
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| agree |
Paul Stevens
4 hrs
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| agree |
Erica Duncan
5 hrs
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| agree |
Agnieszka Hayward (X)
8 hrs
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| agree |
estenger
10 hrs
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| agree |
Tanja Abramovic (X)
13 hrs
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-2
6 mins
Can often be interchanged, preference with "Not to mention"
See the following example sentences...
1. Company XYZ offers its services to electrical and civil engineers, let alone industrial specialists.
2. Company XYZ offers its services to electrical and civil engineers, not to mention industrial specialists.
In my opinion, let alone is very weak unless used in the most perfect context for it. There are other options depending upon the context you are working in. Can you give us some of the context?
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Note added at 2003-02-04 14:33:26 (GMT)
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OK - Everybody,
Please disregard my posting. I tried posting before completing my first cup of coffee and I looked back at the horrendous bastardization of the English language that occurred above. Please accept my apologies...
;-) Scott
1. Company XYZ offers its services to electrical and civil engineers, let alone industrial specialists.
2. Company XYZ offers its services to electrical and civil engineers, not to mention industrial specialists.
In my opinion, let alone is very weak unless used in the most perfect context for it. There are other options depending upon the context you are working in. Can you give us some of the context?
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Note added at 2003-02-04 14:33:26 (GMT)
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OK - Everybody,
Please disregard my posting. I tried posting before completing my first cup of coffee and I looked back at the horrendous bastardization of the English language that occurred above. Please accept my apologies...
;-) Scott
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Libero_Lang_Lab
: i think the examples you give show that they are not that easily interchanged - in fact i think the two sentences you show illustrate that david is probably right - let alone has a more negative feeling. i don't think your first sentence sounds right
3 mins
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| disagree |
cmwilliams (X)
: agree with Dan's comments
8 mins
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I agree too - looking in retrospect, I should have waited to finish the first cup of coffee before responding!
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+3
8 mins
Lucy Phillips
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Elegant precision - published writer
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, English, Portuguese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
2
yes, but subtle!
I wouldn't even call him, let alone invite him to my house.
He never even paid half when we went out to eat, let alone ever paying the whole bill.
She wouldn't even walk to the bus stop, let alone run a marathon!
Her new flat is much cheaper, not to mention easier to get to.
You owe me £5, and that's not to mention the money I leant you last week.
Hope these examples help - can't come up with a good grammatical explanation!
He never even paid half when we went out to eat, let alone ever paying the whole bill.
She wouldn't even walk to the bus stop, let alone run a marathon!
Her new flat is much cheaper, not to mention easier to get to.
You owe me £5, and that's not to mention the money I leant you last week.
Hope these examples help - can't come up with a good grammatical explanation!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Fuad Yahya
2 mins
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thanks!
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| agree |
EDLING (X)
22 mins
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| agree |
Kardi Kho
: good examples
13 hrs
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+1
1 hr
'Let alone' is used with the negative, 'not to mention' with the positive
not X, let alone Y
X, not to mention Y
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Note added at 2003-02-04 16:07:16 (GMT)
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Actually, Dan\'s example proves me wrong on \'not to mention\'. It can be used with the negative. But \'let alone\' can \'never\' be used with the positive. Unless someone has a good example to prove me wrong again?
X, not to mention Y
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Note added at 2003-02-04 16:07:16 (GMT)
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Actually, Dan\'s example proves me wrong on \'not to mention\'. It can be used with the negative. But \'let alone\' can \'never\' be used with the positive. Unless someone has a good example to prove me wrong again?
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