"can't underestimate" = can't overestimate

[Ben Zimmer]

On Tue, Oct 18, 2011 at 9:09 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>
> A CNN analyst says "You can't underestimate" the Israelis' relief at
> the release of Gilad Shalit.
>
> I've heard this quasi-reversed construction frequently. It seems to
> confuse "can't" and "shouldn't."

This (along with related misnegations) has come up several times here,
as well as on Language Log, e.g.:

http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=813
http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=1292
http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=2918

--bgz

--
Ben Zimmer
http://benzimmer.com/

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