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From: jeff@rtech.UUCP (Jeff Lichtman)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Is English decaying rapidly?
Message-ID: <714@rtech.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 25-Oct-85 05:41:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: rtech.714
Posted: Fri Oct 25 05:41:06 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 26-Oct-85 19:47:59 EDT
References: <1427@cae780.UUCP> <10600197@uiucdcs>
Organization: Relational Technology, Alameda CA
Lines: 18

> 
> > 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...
> 
> I don't like that one either.  It's almost as bad as "That'll teach you to
> [insert something that shouldn't have been done]".  It should be:
> "That'll teach you not to ..."
> 
> Ken Kaufman (uiucdcs!kaufman)

In both these cases, the intent is ironic.
-- 
Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
"Saints should always be judged guilty until they are proved innocent..."

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