Unicorns?

[Jorrhast]

"if we can't deliver them"? Doesn't look promising.

 

[Aotrs Commander]

"if we can't deliver them"? Doesn't look promising.

That's not what the "see if we can't'" expression means; it's actually more or less identical in meaning to "see if we can," except that the latter is more of a neutral statement, where as the former is more of a challenge to the negative, carrying connotations of the opposite, if you see what I mean?

(A google around - because it's one of those phrases so inured that most of us don't think about it (so much so that I have to politely and meaning no disrepsect ask if you are native speaker) - other examples being "won't you join us?" == "will you join us?" or "you see if I don't!")

(Have a google around "see if we can't, " there's a couple of blogs on it, one of 'em from BBC on redunant negatives.)


In essense, it means more or less opposite to what you appear to have believed it to mean and it a positive sign we will be getting some form of horned equine in space at some point in the mid-near future.