"I can't hardly wait!" he exclaimed.
* * * * * * * * * *
"I can wait" means a person has the patience to remain calm until the moment something happens.
"I can hardly wait" means a person is antsy, knowing they must wait, but is discomfited by the process, only just holding back.
"I can't wait" means a person feels they must act, or the thing they are expecting must happen immediately or they will perish (in dramatic fashion! Not literally!).
Which means "I can't hardly wait" means, um, I guess the exact same thing as "I can't wait" and also "I can hardly wait." I think because "hardly wait" is just a more dramatic "wait," right? Darby can't wait nor can he hardly wait. He's so excited that he sounds exactly like the baby he is when he gets the common phrase "I can hardly wait!" incorrect. I'm sure many people say "I can't hardly wait!" but those people are probably the babies in their group of peers and just don't understand language.
I mean, I thought I understood language and then I tried to parse "I can't hardly wait" and now I'm not so sure. Have I always been the baby in my peer group?! Time for some self-reflection!
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