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0 pointsjtbayly5y ago0 comments

You're right, he's right, but your analysis is not helpful, actually.

"I make no pretense..." means "I don't claim to..." For example, "I make no pretense at being an bitcoin expert" means "I don't claim to be a bitcoin expert."

So here's some more helpful analysis:

"I don't claim to despise BTC" means I like it.

"I don't claim to not despise BTC" means I don't like it.

Thus, "I make no pretense to not despise BTC" means I don't like it.

0 comments

timerol5y ago

See my sibling comment's edit. "I make no pretense at being a bitcoin expert" can mean both "I don't claim to be a bitcoin expert" and "I am an authentic bitcoin expert" depending on context.

jtbaylyOP5y ago

Yes. I see your edit. I'll only add that although second meaning is certainly allowed by the words, in practice the phrase is understood in the first sense.