Editing Litotes (section)

==Other languages==
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2015}}

===Classical Greek===
In [[Classical Greek]], instances of litotes can be found as far back as [[Homer]]. In Book 24 of the ''[[Iliad]]'', [[Zeus]] describes [[Achilles]] as follows: {{Langx|grc|οὔτε γάρ ἔστ᾽ ἄφρων οὔτ᾽ ἄσκοπος|4=for not without wisdom is he, neither without purpose|label=none}},{{efn|{{Perseus|Hom.|Il.|24.159}}}} meaning that he is both wise and prudent.

===French===
In [[French language|French]], {{lang|fr|[[wikt:pas mal|pas mal]]}} (not bad) is used similarly to the English, while {{lang|fr|il n'est pas antipathique}} ('he is not disagreeable') is another example, actually meaning {{lang|fr|il est très sympathique}} ('he is nice'), though the speaker is reluctant to admit it. Another typical example is {{lang|fr|Ce n'est pas bête!}} ('It's not stupid'), generally said to admit a clever suggestion without showing oneself as too enthusiastic. (As with all litotes, this phrase can also be used with its literal meaning that the thing is not stupid but rather may be clever or occupy the middle ground between stupid and clever.)

One of the most famous litotes of French literature is in [[Pierre Corneille]]'s {{lang|fr|[[Le Cid]]}} (1636). The heroine, Chimène, says to her lover Rodrigue, who just killed her father: {{lang|fr|Va, je ne te hais point}} ('Go, I hate you not'), meaning 'I love you'.

===Chinese===
In [[Chinese language|Chinese]], the phrase {{lang|zh|不错}} (Pinyin: {{transliteration|zh|ISO|bù cuò}}, traditional characters {{lang|zh-Hant|不錯}}, literally 'not wrong') is often used to present something as very good or correct. In this way, it is distinct in meaning from the English 'not bad' (though not 'not bad at all') or the general use of the French {{lang|fr|pas mal}}. Also, the phrase {{lang|zh-CN|不简单}} (pinyin {{transliteration|zh|ISO|bù jiǎn dān}}, traditional characters {{lang|zh-Hant|不簡單}}, literally 'not simple') is used to refer to an impressive feat.

===Danish===

In [[Danish language|Danish]], understatements using litotes are seen as characteristic of the [[Jutlandic dialect]]. A stereotypical example is the phrase {{lang|da|det er ikke så ringe endda}} ('it is not even so bad'), which is used to mean 'that's great'.

===Dutch and German===
Similarly, in [[Dutch language|Dutch]], the phrase {{lang|nl|niet slecht}} (also literally meaning 'not bad') is often used to present something as very good or correct, as is [[German language|German]] {{lang|de|nicht schlecht}}.

===Italian===
In [[Italian language|Italian]], {{lang|it|meno male}} (literally 'less bad') is similar to the English expression, 'So much the better' – used to comment that a situation is more desirable than its negative (cf. [[Winston Churchill]]'s comment, since transformed into a [[snowclone]], that "democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others").

===Latin===
In [[Latin]], an example of litotes can be found in [[Ovid]]'s ''[[Metamorphoses]]'': {{lang|la|non semel}} (bk. 1 ln. 692, 'not one occasion'), meaning 'on more than one occasion'. Some common words are derived from litotes: {{lang|la|nonnulli}} from {{lang|la|non nulli}} ('not none') is understood to mean 'several', while {{lang|la|nonnumquam}} from {{lang|la|non numquam}} ('not never') is used for 'sometimes'.

===Russian===

Perhaps the most common litotes in [[Russian language|Russian]] is {{lang|ru|неплохо}} ('not bad'). Somewhat unusually, it is permissible to say something is {{lang|ru|очень неплохо}} ('very not bad') to signify that it is, in fact, very good. An example of litotes can be found in [[Nikolai Gogol]]'s ''[[The Government Inspector]]'', in which the Mayor says: "There's no such thing as a man with no sins on his conscience", meaning 'All men have sins on their conscience' (Act 1, Scene 1). In this case, it is used to downplay the Mayor's statement – a euphemism of sorts – making it less harsh than its understood meaning.

===Spanish===
In [[Spanish language|Spanish]], it is usual to say {{lang|es|No es nada tonto}} ('It's not at all foolish'), as a form of compliment (i.e., to say something was smart or clever). Another common Spanish phrase is {{lang|es|menos mal}} (cf. Italian {{lang|it|meno male}} above), meaning literally 'less bad', but used in the same way as the English phrases "Thank goodness!" or "It's just as well".

===Swedish===
In [[Swedish language|Swedish]], it is quite common to use litotes. For example, when one chances to meet someone after a long time it is usual to say: {{lang|sv|Det var inte igår}} ('It wasn't yesterday').

===Turkish===
In [[Turkish language|Turkish]], it is quite common to say {{lang|tr|Hiç fena değil!}} ('Not bad at all!') as a form of compliment.

===Welsh===
In [[Welsh language|Welsh]], {{lang|cy|Siomi ar yr ochr orau}} ('To be disappointed on the best side') means 'to be pleasantly surprised'.