The expressions "ne guère" and "ne point" are forms of negation often considered literary or formal.
Ne Guère
Used to express a negation indicating a small quantity or low intensity, "ne guère" means "hardly" or "barely".
- Pendant ce temps, les négociations ne firent guère de progrès. (During that time, the negotiations made hardly any progress.)
- Elle n'a guère vu de différence. (She barely noticed any difference.)
Ne Point
"Ne point" is a formal negative form equivalent to "ne pas", used to negate the action of a verb in a more emphatic way or in a literary style.
- Je ne lui ai point parlé. (I did not speak to him at all.)
- Il ne m'a point révélé son secret. (He did not reveal his secret to me.)
Usage
Although less common in everyday spoken language, these negation expressions are appreciated in literary, poetic, or formal writing for their stylistic effect and nuance.
Note that using them in daily conversation may seem outdated or pretentious.