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N'oubliez pas ceci : une contradiction n'est jamais universelle.

N'oubliez pas ceci : une contradiction n'est jamais universelle.
Do not forget this: a contradiction is never universal.
From Lesson 446:Neutral demonstrative pronouns (ceci, cela)·French

Questions & Answers about N'oubliez pas ceci : une contradiction n'est jamais universelle.

Why is ceci used here instead of cela or ça?
Ceci (this) is the perfect choice here because it introduces an idea you are about to state. It points forward to the rule after the colon. Cela and the informal ça generally point backward to refer to something you have already mentioned.
Could I just use que (that) instead of ceci and a colon?
Yes, you could easily phrase this as N'oubliez pas qu'une contradiction n'est jamais universelle. Using ceci with a colon is a stylistic choice that creates a dramatic pause, putting more emphasis on the rule you are about to deliver.
Why is there no pas in the phrase n'est jamais?
The structure ne ... jamais (never) is a complete negative pair on its own, which fully replaces the standard ne ... pas (not). You cannot put both pas and jamais around the same verb.
Is the space before the colon a typo?
Not at all! In French typography, any punctuation mark made of two parts (like a colon, semicolon, exclamation mark, or question mark) requires a space before it. This is a strict rule in written French that differs from English.

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