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From: overlord@nmtvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Is English decaying rapidly?
Message-ID: <857@nmtvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 8-Nov-85 14:46:05 EST
Article-I.D.: nmtvax.857
Posted: Fri Nov  8 14:46:05 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Nov-85 04:23:39 EST
References: <1427@cae780.UUCP> <10600197@uiucdcs> <>
Reply-To: overlord@nmtvax.UUCP (Alan Kerr)
Organization: New Mexico Tech, Socorro
Lines: 22

>> > You have mentioned one of my pet peeves from anti-Englishists. My
>> > really favorite, though is, "Let's see if we can't [do whatever]". Here the
>> > clear intent is to say, "Let's see if we CAN" do it...


     Actually, I use both depending on what I mean.

If the concept is sound, I will usually say "let's see if we can do it" which
to me is similar to "Let's see if we succede".  In other words, an optimist's
point of view.

If the concept is unsound, even crazy or foolish but might.....just might work
out, then I will use "Let's see if we can't do it" which, in this case, would
be similar to "Let's see if we fail (we probably will but let's try anyway)."
In other words, a pessimist's point of view.

                                             Alan Kerr
                                             New Mexico Tech

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