"Can I get?" Is it an Across the Pond or Generational Thing?

I have been there too! I shall go to Mars! Please someone, shoot me! I shall ensure proper usage of the wording and omissions shall not be omitted. Allow me to emit my exuberance. But, you read it well and understood. We two are going to a hanging too. I am going to be hanged with the other two, too. Desmond Tutu wore a tutu too. I think you read exactly what was intended.

I thank you graciously, for pointing out the errors of my typing. I owe you an 'O'.

Don't mess with Desmond Tutu.

And it got me to thinking how right he/she is. Since when did a 'civil servant' (emphasis on servant) become a person of such power. They are exactly what the English language says they are, 'servants of the people' not autonomous figure of power. They are there to serve you not dictate policies and rules. We all have allowed a shift in understanding English. Got me riled too, but he or she is quite right. Bring back simple English, there will be less 'interpretation' required and we may all know what is going on. I like Annoymous!

You like whom?

No, I dont like Whom! I lilke Annoymous, as he\she has stayed Anonymous and stirred folks up. I like that! Nothing like a good stirring to bring folks back to reality.

Exactly...must have grapes to remain incognito, in the face of some of the temptation in this thread (refer #50).

It is so wonderful. I see No50 has grapes but they are so small! I love this too, 'Sent from my iPhone'. Really! This was sent from my 'iCecream'. Great banter here.

The author of No50, is taken aback a bit, at the revelation someone has covertly surveilling his grapes in a manner sufficiently intimate to (purportedly) determine size.

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Not, sure if this applies everywhere, but at least on this side of the pond: When someone does not have/cannot attain something and then attempts to lessen their disappointment/envy by claiming the 'something' they have been denied is not that valuable after all; it is known as 'sour grapes'.

.

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Difficult to tell if that is the case, or if is that IQ's mouth is so accustomed to grapes the size appropriate for a sperm whale, that there is fear anything else might go unnoticed.

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Whatever the case, the author of no50 is pleased that IQ find some reason these grapes are not up to standard. Anything otherwise would be quite disturbing.

IQ read and digested the text and found the grapes to be in a finer print, so therefore hence, deduced, the grapes, even if they were of wrath, or not, were found to be of an undersized font. This may come as a shock, but I am not accustomed to viewing another persons grapes, nor do I enjoy covertly viewing another persons grapes, no matter the texture, colour or abundance.

The sperm whale on the other hand, is also not accustomed to grapes of any nature, being a fish and squid eater. However, I take it as a compliment from your good self, and I agree with you, the text was not up to standard and mayhaps, or could have, but was not, construed as vulgar or vexing. It was merely pointed out that the sentence pertaining to the grapes was below par, undersized and provoking, wanting in comment. Duly done and attended to. Pointed out and noted by some. Thank you, your comments are noted. If you have been disturbed by this notation, please feel free to make an appointment with your shrink, and discuss your inhibitions freely with the proper profession carer. I did and I feel much better now, thank you for asking. It is nice to meet so many nice people here! ROFLMAO.

No hard feelings, all in jest, and loving it!

'....must have grapes to remain incognito....'

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I don't think it takes any courage at all to make comments anonymously. I don't think it takes any additional courage to fail to later own those comments.

It would take courage to own those comments.

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On a different note.... even though I don't agree with your claim, (assuming that you do) if commenting anonymously demonstrates someone 'has grapes'... seeing as how you didn't post anonymously, what does that say about you?

One of the rising issues in the UK is the prevalence of individuals whose native tongue is not English occupying customer-facing roles. It is a serious risk to the business when that individual cannot articulate in a way that the Customer finds polite and agreeable.

The problem with taking one's business elsewhere because of it is that elsewhere the situation is usually little different....

Slightly related!

The rather large company that I work for re-located its directory enquiry service to India. I discovered that something I had ordered had been delivered to the wrong location, so, I wanted to ring the goods in department in that other location:-

"How are you spelling goods in sir?"

I'd rather hear crummy grammar than any comments from anonymous posters.

Re: "they will ask you, 'are you all right there', (rather than may i assist you)."

. . . Somebody here has (or had?) a signature-line suggesting that when somebody asks if you are alright*, the BEST response is: "No, I am half-right and half-Left."

(* Although alright is a common spelling in written dialogue (by analogy with such words as already and altogether) and in other types of informal writing, "all right" is used in more formal, edited writing.)

[ _{We soitantly ain'tz notz FORMAL 'round here, iz we ?} ]

"Can I get...?" Well, I don't know, can you?

"May I have...?" Yes, if there's one available for you.

I'm an oldie, and I grew up in a London East End family, but it doesn't hurt to try to use the English language sensibly, without distorting it with trash phrasing and accenting that TV makes fashionable. So many folks are swayed by fashionable rubbish.

Before anyone starts about 'development of the language' - yes, I know we don't really want to be talking in Chaucer's English, but then the word 'development' suggests a positive change or an enlightenment, not a dilution or a cheapening.

The "Can I get" types should look up from their iPhones once in a while, or, better still, put them aside, take account of themselves and read some good books.

Do you have the correct time?

Why yes I do.

People being people!

Asking for the 'correct' time is amusing.

I mean if you have to specify 'correct', you might also need to specify your location

('here'), as well as specifying exactly when you mean ('now').

I assume that "Can I receive..." would be OK for you? Per Thesaurus .com, Get and receive are considered synonyms.http://thesaurus.com/browse/receive

Good points. I like your answer.

"Can I have" means permission to have. Better to say "May I have", which means, I know I can have it, I don't need permission and I want it; therefore "may" is the better word.

Hmmmm... following-through, here: you replied-to IQ's

"Can I have...? Question with doubt! 'I shall have', or 'I will have', is non-questioning ... still polite"

by stating : "Better to say "May I have" ..."

The O.P. presented the scenario, that "when asked what they want start their requests with "Can I get..."

IF an individual asks me either: "What can I make for you today?", "What'll you have?", "What would you like?", or ANY SUCH inquiry...

the response that I would think to be most appropriate would be more in-tune with IQ's : either "I'll have..." or "I would like..."

NEVER answer a question another-question-with ... !

( _{c'mon , now ... at least 1 GA} ! )

Yes, but, I think that would sound a bit affected.

I can't see what's wrong with "May I have?"

Thanks to everyone who's replied: I've been in meetings all morning, so here's some condensed responses.

jack of all trades: #2 : Yes I suppose you could see the phrase as being politer than some of the alternatives.

ozzb #3 : It's the use of the verb "to get" which irritates me rather than the use of the modal verb can. I'm probably guilty of using can at times when I

shouldn't: thanks to your post I will try to mend my ways.

Lyn #4 : Evolve, old man, or perish! Well I am getting a bit wrinkly.

Usbport : #6 The sandwich shop! See reply to ozzb

SolarEagle : #8 I don't think, so it seems to be a special language for fast food places.

truth is not a compromise #11 : I think I'm settling for "May I have?".

Epke #12 : I think the problem is more about grammar than diction.

Fredski #13 : I normally have double spicy cheese; I doubt if they've heard of provolone.

PWSlack #19 : I don't necessarily think they are being impolite. I think it's just a strange fast food convention.

bill_gj #24 : As I said before it's the "get" bit rather than the "can" bit which grates with me.

Munster #27 : See all above. I don't think I've got to the bottom of whether it's generational or an across the pond "thing".

tcmtech #1 : Then: can I get some...... Ohh fudge!

"Yes I suppose you could see the phrase as being politer than some of the alternatives."

I have always used "more polite" for politer.

I've got a friend that writes code for a living, (from home), and rarely leaves the house. He sums it up nicely, when he says....

"I hate people".

Ouch! That's a bit harsh. But, no really: I quite like people (especially one of the girls who works in subway.)

Well, he doesn't really mean it like that.

More like the rampant stupidity that he hates...and I have to agree.

I ignore most of it; having lived all over the country, the dialects are completely different from place to place.

The only one that makes my blood boil, is when someone wants to ax me a question. I feel like slapping the piss out of them.

''What do you mean I cain't Ax you a queschon?

Personably, mysef, that make me feel RUDED TO!

My zink in my bafroom all busted! And you here saying I cain't Ax you a queschon.

RUDE!''

'

.

I actually overhear someone once say that they liked 'self-defecating humor' the best.

I dont see anything wrong with question "can I get.....". To-days younger generation is smarter than us. They least bothered about conversation lingo. They are computer, internet, I Pod, savy. They are very quick in decision making. Mr.Randall we have to change ourselves when we interact with them.

"To-days younger generation is smarter than us."

I respectfully disagree! Take the computers, internet, and IPod away from them and see how intelligent they are. Without those objects in front of them can they give you the correct change when you pay for an item? Can they find a solution to a problem on their own?

This observation is in general and is not meant to say that it applies to "all" of todays generation as there are some incredibly smart young men and women out there. But in general if you take those gadgets away from them most will be completely lost.

I remember when people were smarter than their phones.

I did not say all young guys around the world. I meant only young from urban areas. Who are well educated and smart. Of course they are more dependant on technology.

! afaiui all language is a wip...

I guess it's better than "Like, can I like, have like, a burger man." Like is soooo misused that I almost puke when I hear it used at times.

'Literally' is another that is overused/misused.

It bugs me when people start a sentence with "I mean...". Does anyone else notice this or is it just me?

To repeat/quote Randall (#53): "AAAAAaaaaaarrrggghhhh!!" You've done gone and reminded me :

My ex in-law used to say "So" WAYYyyyyy too frequently... oftentimes DOUBLING-UP on it:

"So , you know , soooo..."

And ... NOW that she is "history" (so-to-speak), I am hearing it WAY overused on the morning news (i.e., Good Morning America)!

When they ask each other a QUESTION, the answer almost always begins with "So..."

And it seems as though they TEACH the GUESTS to do the same thing; "Make SURE that you begin every response with 'So', so that you'll sound just like us!"

"AAAAAaaaaaarrrggghhhh!!"

Sometimes when I thing someone is unaware they are saying 'so' as frequently as they are, I will just utter 'a needle pulling thread' every time I hear them say it.

I'm guilty of this. I use it as a way of saying something close to 'let me phrase this another way' or 'this is what I'm getting at', or 'consider it this way'.

As this looks "like" it is a pet peeve thread...

What really irks me is when staff at a retail operation replies with a "No problem" response after I thank them for doing something for me or for giving me something.

No kidding it is no problem! I am usually paying them for something or for a service they rendered. The use of "no problem" indicates to me that that there could be a problem.

Just adding my two cents... if that is "no problem".

'No problem' rubs me the wrong way.

'My pleasure' or 'You're welcome' are far better responses, and if the setting is a restaurant, either one will garner a far better tip than 'no problem' ever will.

How about "sorry about that"?

...used instead of 'no problem'?

I have difficulty imagining that occurring in actuality...

Sandwich shop employee: " ...here is your sandwich."

Customer: "That was quick. Thank you."

Sandwich shop employee: "Sorry about that."

Customer: "er...what? Why?"

Sandwich shop employee: "Oh, that's how we say, 'you're welcome' these days. You aren't hip to the new lingo are you, you old geezer?"

Spoken: "Can I get..." versus "May I have..." or "I would like...".

Written: there...their...they're...

to...too...two...

its...it's...

Spoken or written: then...than...

anxious versus eager as in, "She is anxious to get started."

AAAAAaaaaaarrrggghhhh

When you're in that line at Subway (with no one in front of you) and the counter person says "Next!" do you let the person behind you go ahead? What if you're the only customer there?

"Next" apparently doesn't mean the same thing to everyone. If I say "Next" weekend, does that mean the immediate Sat. and Sun. coming up? Or, does it mean the weekend following this Sat. and Sun.?

And, if you are in Radio or TV, it seems to mean "sometime between now and and the end of the program".

If you turn the page to the "Next" page, do you skip one?

If you say "Next" time, how do you skip one time to get to the "Next" time?

Where is "Next" door?

"Next" year?

The "Next" item on the agenda?

OMG! IDK WTF 2do!

BTW, until "Next" time...........

....in your case, shouldn't it be:

'..Until the time before next...'

or perhaps.\

'...Until the time after now...'

Were these young people speaking to you? I think not, they were speaking to the order taker. Did the order taker understand them?

There are times when precise word selection is required for the accurate transmission of information. Ordering a sandwich from someone, probably untrained in the delicacies of the English language, is not such an occasion.

For the record, I went the the whole dance: "Can I have a biscuit please Mum?", "Yes, but you may not."

I'm sure it's not a generation thing. I must have heard it a lot, but not sure when. It doesn't bother me. I usually say "I'd like a ..." or "I'll take a ...". (That doesn't mean I won't pay)

What do you say in the UK? "Make me a bloody hamburger, would ya?"

In the Uk we dont have hamburgers. We have horse burgers. We trot into Macs, scoff one down and gallop away, only to get the trots later on. Our national dish is chiken ticatica and Indian curries. Hamburgers? Sir, I ax you, wed jud bin livin?

What you are shouts so loud that I cannot hear your words.

Has anyone else noticed how engineers gravitate toward topics that have no real world relevance?

It's like there's a giant cosmic question mark sitting on a park bench and throwing popcorn to the pigeons.

When were all constantly striving to solve all the problems of the world it can be a bit difficult to switch off after work.

If engineers (presumably in the 'real world') do gravitate toward certain topics, doesn't that in itself mean the topics have some real world relevance (i.e. these are topics towards which some in the real world gravitate, and therefore are at least in that aspect relevant).?

I suppose so; and it might be my imagination, but it seems like the 1 star threads consistently get the most views and comments. Not saying this is a bad thread, but just overall.

Nor is it a judgement of engineers....I think that spending off time, slipping into the mundane and irrelevant, is probably quite therapeutic.

'...I think that spending off time, slipping into the mundane and irrelevant, is probably quite therapeutic.....'

.

It might end up being even more 'therapeutic' and possibly even 'productive' if there was a slight shift (where ever that shift might be required, i.e. perspective or action) from the 'mundane and irrelevant'...

to something along the lines of

'esoteric and theoretical'

or

'atypical and uncertain'.

Well in closing;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIX0ZDqDljA

Looking at the "across the pond" part of the title.

When I arrived here in the Philadelphia area from London, I found that in some circumstances, people hear a whole sentence rather than the individual words. If I asked, pronouncing clearly, "Have you got any...", I got blank looks; i found I must ask, "Do you have any...". I was also told not to ask, "Would you tell me where the butter is please?" but to say, "Where's the budder?" ( the pronunciation of "t" as "d" still irritates after forty plus years).

I hear that sort of thing all the time. I contribute it to a lack of basic education, both in the schools and at home. The one that gripes me is when I go to see a doctor and the first thing out of his mouth is; "How are you today"? If I was fine, I wouldn't be here. Another thing I hate is when I go into a shop and salespeople bombard me with "can I help you". Sometimes it gets so bad I just leave the shop and I never go back. I know these people are told that is what to say to a customer, but more times than not, it annoys the customer.

'...The one that gripes me is when I go to see a doctor and the first thing out of his mouth is; "How are you today"?...'

.

I know it is not all that common, but some people do go in for regular checkups. Participating in preventative medicine or scheduled visits is probably what the doctor is hoping for....

I've gone to doctors with visible signs of pain, only to be asked, "how are you today"? It's really not a gripe, I really don't care. It just sounds funny.

It does sound a little funny, given the circumstance. The doctor does seem to be setting themselves up a bit.

Interesting thanks. I was not aware of the Oxford comma: ignorance is bliss, I suppose.

I appreciated (as did Randall) the reminder regarding the Oxford comma...

B U T !

? Did anybody ELSE follow the whole article, and see:

" "Can I get…?" is for some an offence that should lead shopkeepers to frogmarch the culprit off the premises." ???

( _{end of thread ???} )

I assumed that was why PWSlack posted the link, and, was why I gave it the GA.

Yes. It was noted as I said this previously, way back. But, interesting article. Do the tests on the side bar!

For "grins", I went back and found their "grammar quiz" ("mid-bar")...

. . . MISSED the rationale about "Hilary" being male ...

The UK version is interesting , but I PREFER keeping fresh by occasionally perusing the 'american' version , Grammar.com ...

Where ELSE can you learn things such as:
the difference between hypophora and anthypophora ...?(!)

At the (top-link) grammar quiz, I liked the reference within the quiz to the comment attributed to Churchill : "The story is apocryphal. It is likely that the comment came from a memorandum written by one of Churchill's civil servants."

There is SO much confusion going-around these days, TOO MANY people don't know WHAT to believe ... and when to be skeptical. I used this (below) in a couple presentations:

How many have seen "Blackhawk Down"? The opening scene is a black screen with white text - ("Oh, so what we're about to see is {at least essentially} TRUE, right?")

the text above fades-out and transitions into :

. . . . H U H ? !

D O H ! LIARS !!!

Plato never said anything of the sort! That statement originated from George Santayana, in his "Soliloquies in England" / (Scribners, 1924, p. 102)
Soliloquy #25, "Tipperary"
The section reads:
"Yet the poor fellows think they are safe! They think that the war is over! Only the dead have seen the end of war." ... Santayana does not attribute the saying to Plato, or anybody else....

General Douglas MacArthur, in his farewell address to the cadets at West Point (May, 1962 - text available online ) LIKEWISE misattributed that quote to Plato:

"the soldier above all other people prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war. But always in our ears ring the ominous words of Plato, that wisest of all philosophers: "Only the dead have seen the end of war.""

He might have been mislead, himself, by the fact that it is seen, again attributed to Plato, on the wall of the Imperial War Museum in London. [Does anybody know who mislead whom, here? Was MacArthur the "chicken" and the museum the "egg", or vice versa?]

It takes a certain mindset , to WANT to know the truth ... and to refuse to be mislead by people who follow that old philosophy ... (Hmmm...WHO started it, again...?):

"Tell a lie often enough and the people will believe it."

I am glad I offered the guidance, it has been fun and I leave you with this verse;

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes, and ships, and sealing-wax,
of cabbages, and kings.
And why the sea is boiling hot
And whether pigs have wings."

Correct me here, The walrus and the carpenter, Lewis Carrol?

"Amen" ... !

Before I retire to my boudoir, within my place of abode, I purport this last parting statement of my night:

HELLO TO ALL THE FOLKS WHO HAVE MADE THIS ADVENTURE FUN, ENLIGHTENING, AND JOLLY.

Thanks to the person who started this and I hope he manages to get a date with the girl in the Subway.

I would still like to see this 12 inch Italian on wheat. They must be specially 'bred'. I assume they can speak English too?

Does anyone actually know anyone, on this site. Or, are we all simply, incognito? Can we now rule the world? Goodnight and take care, It has been fun.

They must be specially 'bred'.

I still don't understand the rationale about Hilary being Male.

Referring to the end of your post: I'd still like to know whether the quote (see below) about "aliens" was originated by Buckminster Fuller or Arthur C. Clarke.

A google search for ["alone in the universe" Buckminster Fuller] gets 15,900 hits
whereas...............["alone in the universe" Arthur C Clarke] gets 84,300

But: I think it's reasonable to assume that Fuller did say it at some time, and, he was born a long time before Clarke.

Hmmmmm.... you ARE correct (in the uncertainty).

It is clear that Clark did, in fact, make the statement on different occasions, in a couple different 'twists':

"Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering."
--and--
"Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying."

Fuller is also commonly ('frequently') quoted as saying:
"Sometimes I think we're alone. Sometimes I think we're not. In either case, the thought is quite staggering." This individual seems certain that Fuller was the originator.

Your recognition that Fuller (1895-1983) was 'ahead-of' Clark (1917-2008) increases the chances that Fuller said such a thing first, and Clark mimicked the sentiment, but, I agree (after following too many leads already) that the TRUTH as to which one expressed the sentiment FIRST is deeply-hidden, at least for the time-being...!

"Bucky" penned a number of provocative realizations during his life, including (one of my favorites): "Faith is much better than belief. Belief is when someone else does the thinking."

"Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not.

I can actually settle this for you, I have the facts before me. You are NOT alone in the Universe...........I am right here, and I trust that you are right there. If you are there and I am here, then, you cannot be alone! However, if you feel you are here and I am there, then still, you cannot be alone.

Question; if something has ceased, it has stopped functioning. Correct. If someone is deceased, this means they are still alive. Why do we refer to a living entity as being deceased when in fact it has ceased. Just to throw something in the mix on English language.

It is life Jim, but not as you know it!!!!

"ceased = stopped functioning" / "deceased = still alive" ... hmmmm

"Weak", but, perhaps justification to label "deceased" a misnomer...(?)

Did you read the next to last sentence?

"Those who neither know nor care are the vast majority, and are a happy folk, to be envied by the minority classes."

I am an American and learned English from my English born parents. I also went to private schools at a time when language, spelling, grammar were subjects that were taken seriously. Along the way growing up, I did find a lot of "Americanisms" creeping into my vocabulary. I am horrified at the way young people today speak. They speak American totally; their grammar and spelling is atrocious. Without trying to sound too prejudiced, I attribute this lack of English speaking skills to the influx of certain ethnic groups well known for their own variety of English. Without going into specifics, I think you know what I mean. I by no means speak English perfectly (Queens English), but I do strive to speak it the best I can. And BTW, it does have to do with engineering. Engineers need to be able to express themselves well if they want to convey ideas to others. Writers usually can communicate well. I appreciate the stories by Agatha Christie. She writes the way I would like to. Did you consider the late Margaret Thatcher's English, Queens English? How about Tony Blair and David Cameron?

Man, U ain't cn Nuttin yt. jst W8 tl U stRt getin SMS-speak.

Translated to English the above means: Man, you ain't seen nothing yet. Just wait till you start getting SMS-speak.

Us old guys are doomed.

Note: Translation provided by:Transl8it! - understand SMS text message slang & chat lingo (Not an endorsement)

Randal, you have created over 115 comments so far, on the use of the English language, I shall award you a gold star. It has been fun, thanks.

Has anyone watched the television series "NYPD Blue"? Does anyone understand it?

Not Your Program, Dude!

I spoke at the symposium and the audience gave me a Bronx cheer.

This has been a very interesting topic of discussion, but it could go on and on forever, and even though I could continue to participate, I'm signing off. Thanks Randall. Don't get your knickers in a bunch.