"I didn't say nothing to nobody"

I've seen this phrase a few times over the years. "I didn't say nothing to nobody".

But what does it mean? It's a triple negative.

It depends upon how we group the words together. Here are the possible interpretations as I see them:

1) "I didn't say nothing to nobody" = "I didn't say (nothing to nobody)".
Since "nothing to nobody" = "something to at least someone", then
"I didn't say nothing to nobody" = "I didn't say (nothing to nobody)" =
"I didn't say (something to at least someone)" = "I didn't speak to anyone". Fair enough!

2) "I didn't say nothing to nobody" = "I (didn't say nothing) to nobody".
Since "didnt say nothing" = "said something", then
"I didn't say nothing to nobody" = "I (didn't say nothing) to nobody" =
"I said something to nobody".

Here, we have an existential dillema. Common sense dictates that you can't speak to "nobody". The reality is that if someone speaks, it has to be directed towards someone. Even when someone speaks to himself or herself, they are at least speaking with someone.

But what about a world where a nobody is really a someone? If "nobody" is a phantom being, then those speech patterns that apparently aren't directed towards anyone are really being heard by "nobody". In which case, we better hope that nobody is a good listener. ; )