EnglishClub ESL Forums

Recently, I read a sentence that got me confused. I am not sure if that sentence was originally created from a different language other than English and translated into English, or it was created by an English speaker. Please enlighten me with your explanation.

We are not less delighted to find an early primrose because we knew well that the season of the service to look for primrose is in March and April not October.

What I struggle is why couldn't it say, "we are very delighted to find...?"
If "not less delighted" means very delighted, can "not more delighted" mean very angry?
I am not familiar with these terms at all. Please help!

Please double-check. Do they say:

We are not less delighted...

OR

We are no less delighted...

Hi Joe,

Thank you so much for your response.
I have double checked. It was stated "We are not less delighted..."

So, is it a right expression or non-standard English?

Almost certainly it should be:

We are no less delighted...

This kind of expression usually follows a previous expression of delight (or whatever), for example:

We are delighted that you passed your exam. And we are no less delighted that you will be going to university.

So it's a way of saying "we are equally delighted", but it's rather formal.

We are no less happy
We are no less concerned
We are no less afraid
We are no less excited
We are no less hopeful
etc etc

Thank you so much, Joe.
I do appreciate your comments from which I have learned a new expression.