Trying times

Q: More and more, I am hearing people say “not trying to” when they mean “trying not to.” I just saw a woman on YouTube who said, “I wasn’t trying to take any chances.” What’s your take on this? A: The phrase “not trying to” means lacking the intention or desire to do something, while “trying not to” means actively making an effort to avoid doing something. Both usages are legitimate. Yes, people sometimes use “not trying to” in the sense of “trying not to,” but the meaning is usually clear in context. One possible reason for the mixup may be that many Americans pronounce “trying to” as “tryna,” and it may be more natural for them to say “not tryna” than “trying not to,” especially in informal conversation. By the way, the You Tuber you cite could have been using “not trying to” in its usual sense if she had been accused of being reckless and responded by saying “I wasn’t trying to take any chances.” Interestingly, “not trying to” was more common during the 20th century, but “trying…