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I've come across the following sentence recently:
"I won't stay longer than I can help."
I've heard similar uses of "can help" in other contexts and they all sounded strange to me. Shouldn't we say :
"I won't stay longer than I can't help."
In the same manner, doesn't it sound strange to say:
"I'm not driving at night, unless I can help it"
Shouldn't one say "unless I can't help it"?
No, one shouldn't.
If you can help it, you won't do it.
"I won't stay longer than I can help."
Maybe better is
"I won't stay longer than I can manage."
meaning
"I will not stay longer if I don't need to"
or alternatively
"I will stay longer if I do need to."
they all sounded strange to me.
They are not:
"I couldn't help staying - I had come with John and he had to make the final speech."
"I won't stay longer than I can help [staying].
"I won't eat any more than I can eat."
"I won't pay more than I can afford."
I can help,myself. Now focus on myself. The sentence is "I won't be longer than I can help". This will be the maximum time i will be there and not a second more because after a second i would not be able to help myself to stay at that particular place. The part "I can help" is supporting I won't be longer.
