Let alone

Question

Hi everyone,I have a doubt about the usage of  the informal phrase "let alone".We say: "I don't know his name, let alone he"Q: Is it correct to use the subject, not the object, pronoun in this sentence?We say: "John is smart. Jane is even smarter."Q; Can we combine these into: "John is smart let alone Jane"I don't think it's the correct way. Q: Should we say: "John is smart and even more so is Jane" or "John is smart and Jane is even more so"?Q: Is "let alone" used only in a negative connotation, whereas "even more so" in a neutral context?Q: What about the phrase "even/still/much less" as in "There isn't any space left for one person, much less ten!"     Can we use "even/still/much less" in replace of "let alone" as in, say, "I don't know his name, much less he"Thanks a lot for your clarifications.

Fandorin · Accepted Answer

"Let alone" is used to emphasize the second part of the sentence, where the first indicates little possibility of a contrasting example. Or a substitute for "not to mention". It is common to use "let alone" when sentence has a tinge of negativity about it.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/let+alone?s=ts

"He can't drive a bicycle, let alone car." (He is not able to drive both)
"I wouldn't trust him feeding my cat, let alone cook a dinner for us."

Back to yours now.

D9L9We say: "I don't know his name, let alone he"

".., let alone him." But this is a poor use of the expression. As I mentioned, it is to emphasize the contrast. In your example it just states the obvious.

D9L9Q: Is "let alone" used only in a negative connotation, whereas "even more so" in a neutral context?

It depends on the context, but I would say it is a correct statement. As to "Jane" part, I would use "even more so".

D9L9Q: What about the phrase "even/still/much less" as in "There isn't any space left for one person, much less ten!" Can we use "even/still/much less" in replace of "let alone" as in, say, "I don't know his name, much less he"

No, I wouldn't use any of substitutions you provided.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/much+less

There is a good example (much less as "certainly not").

There isn't any space left for one person, let alone accommodate ten.

"Much less" is, far and away, the most common in phrases related to comparison.

This film is of much less worth to a wide audience because it carries aspects of a documentary.

D9L9 · Answer

Thanks Fandorin. Much appreciated.

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