[doktrin]

> I cannot recommend X too highly

This isn't a veiled statement. It's outright dunking on the applicant.

[thedanbob]

It can be interpreted both ways: "I cannot recommend X too highly (because they suck)" vs "I cannot recommend X too highly (because whatever praise I give will be inadequate)"

[doktrin]

If praise is the intent, it would be phrased as "... cannot recommend X highly enough"

[boxed]

My take away from this is that any positive thing written in a letter of recommendation can be read as sarcasm by an English speaker.

I think there's some deeper issue with the language/culture here.

[doktrin]

Every language has turns of phrase that are not necessarily intuitive to non-native speakers.