Another case of negative = positive?

[James Harbeck]

>I was chatting with a Texas relative and mentioned to him that he
>might want to read a particular book. He replied:
>
>a) "I'll see whether I _can't_ [keint] find it down here."
>
>Of course, he meant:
>
>b) "I'll see whether I _can_ [kin] find it down here."
>
>Except that that's not how people say it Down Home.
>
>-Wilson

In the Great White North, I've heard both variants. Only with the
Canadian [ae], of course.

James Harbeck.

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