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Pedants' corner

Can I get?

(170 Posts)
Toddleo Thu 16-Aug-18 16:28:25

I am really irritated by this modern way of asking for things.
In a cafe for example "can I get a large latte" "can I get a toasted sandwich"
I just want to scream "NO YOU CAN'T, because you are not allowed in the kitchen/behind the counter etc...."

What is wrong with "please may I have...." Grrrr

Barmeyoldbat Sun 19-Aug-18 17:32:56

Marmite, I am with you on the dislike for the word gotten..I hate it so much that I tend not to read books written by American authors due to the over use of the word gotten. Otherwise I am fairly easy on how people speak.

GabriellaG Sun 19-Aug-18 17:30:30

Overthehills
'Yous/youse' is often written and spoken by Liverpudlians and residents in or from the general Merseyside area.

oldbatty Sun 19-Aug-18 17:15:11

" Yar righ".....I never know how to reply. It used to be a regional thing I think, now its some sort of code for " I have noticed you but I dont want to talk"

Chewbacca Sun 19-Aug-18 17:03:07

The ubiquitous "Yar righ?", instead of "hello, how are you" continues to irritate the hell out of me.

oldbatty Sun 19-Aug-18 16:38:05

Maw....you should reply " I'm good"

MawBroon Sun 19-Aug-18 16:28:10

Oh I hate that old batty!
What business is it of theirs whether I am “all right” ? How they would run and hide if I told them all the reasons why I was not “all right”.
“Can I help you (Madam) ? “ is just as easy to say and sounds helpful .
Do shops no longer employ Sales Assistants?

oldbatty Sun 19-Aug-18 16:22:08

Do you hear " y'all right there?" as a replacement for the old school " Can I help you?"

Rhinestone Sun 19-Aug-18 16:18:12

When at a restaurant and I ask for something I get “ No problem.” Why should it even be considered a problem to do their job? It makes me crazy.

Lilyflower Sun 19-Aug-18 16:05:27

Since taste, culture and manners have laid down in front of the great juggernaut of money in terms of social markers, perfect grammar is the only reliable determinant of the middle classes.

Though having said that, my professional, highly educated, bright as ninepence book group friends would think nothing of saying, 'Can I get...?'

But then they were born middle class while I was merely aspiring WC. Having taught English for decades before I retired it would wither me on the spot to say, 'Can I get...?'

willa45 Sun 19-Aug-18 14:55:54

The only thing I can add is that here in America, we enjoy British television enormously. It's also true that similar observations have been made about Americans who adopt British mannerisms.

My only take away from all of this is that whether you're from UK or America, (or anywhere else)...... imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

Rufus2 Sun 19-Aug-18 14:37:52

I would like a latte please!"
Nanny41; Where I am in Melb. I say "a latte thanks" smileIn the land of mateship, "please" has overtones of a slightly subservient relationship, stemming from Colonial days I guess.
Which is also why "tipping" is frowned on! grin

Nanny41 Sun 19-Aug-18 13:57:01

When asking in a cafe I usually say " I would like a latte please!" where I live in Sweden, they dont have the equivelant of please, they say "I want a latte thank you" polite in their way I suppose,whenever I am in the UK with my Grandchildren, I always remind them to say "please" I am known as the "Language Police"

sluttygran Sun 19-Aug-18 13:46:46

I positively enjoy being an old pedant, and make no apologies for it.
I love regional accents and dialects, and had a fine old time learning the ‘Doric’ in Scotland, but I dislike lazy pronunciation, malapropisms (unless they’re funny) and Americanisms.
I have no idea why I dislike Americanisms so much. I think I am prejudiced having had a couple of bad experiences with some American people who were very rude and hostile.
I’m sure the vast majority of our Trans-Atlantic friends are delightful people.

Lilylaundry Sun 19-Aug-18 13:43:11

AND - whilst we are on the subject -do some people say;:

'Cheers' and not 'thank you'.

'Two times' and not 'twice'.

'No problem' when I cannot for the life of me see why there would be a problem when I ask for a cup of tea in a tea shop.

I'd better leave it there, give other grans a chance to have a good WHY.

Marianne1953 Sun 19-Aug-18 13:34:16

You must go to lots of cafes etc, as I’ve never heard or more so noticed people asking in that way. There are so many horrible things going on in the world, other people’s grammar is not my priority or even my business. I would rather focus on the poor homeless person sitting outside the cafe.

Aepgirl Sun 19-Aug-18 13:33:04

Yes, I dislike it, too. I understand it comes from one of the soaps or US series (of course), but we're not allowed to pass an opinion. I also dislike when asked 'how are you?', the reply is 'I'm good'.

FarNorth Sun 19-Aug-18 13:15:15

I live in Scotland and have no quarrel with any regional variations or dialects even though I mostly don't use them myself, as my mother was quite English-spoken so that is what I learned.

Baggs Sun 19-Aug-18 13:00:54

What surprises me on threads like this one is the passion people seem to apply to their linguistic likes and dislikes, e.g. "I hate it!"

Even for pedantry that seems to me to be ridiculously intolerant. Actually, I question whether it is pedantry. I think it's just irritability driven by a sense of superiority.

Baggs Sun 19-Aug-18 12:56:54

Thank you for the info, Siobhan. It was my Oxford and Cambridge educated teacher of English who told me allright was correct. Perhaps it was back then. Language is not static. Chambers agrees with OED, btw.

"Perfectly alright" is not the same as "not rude".

grannybuy Sun 19-Aug-18 12:51:50

Our daily local newspaper has taken to calling the police 'the cops' in all their reports, including headlines. It drives me wild. I have complained about it, but needless to say, no change. As we're in NE Scotland, it would be more appropriate to call the police 'the Bobbies', which is a local term, rather than adopt an 'Americanism'!

Overthehills Sun 19-Aug-18 12:45:45

Ive learnt something about myself today - I’m a “linguistic snob”! “Yous” is indeed used on the west coast of Scotland and in N Ireland (where I grew up). I hate it. But what I hate more is ”yiz”, which is used here on the east coast of Scotland.
“Please may I ...” is alive and well in my house.

pollyperkins Sun 19-Aug-18 12:30:57

Speaking of 'May I' I was always fascinated by the sentence in The Secret Garden where Mary Lennox asks her uncle 'Might I have a bit of earth?' (There was a full.page illustration of this in my book which is why I remember it. Seems very old fashioned and awkward these days. Things do go in and out of fashion even in languages which develop and change.

pollyperkins Sun 19-Aug-18 12:26:43

Sorry everyone I'll try not to do the 'upspeak'! Ive just caught it from children and do it without thinking! DH is always tellig me off about it. Don't do it all the times just sometimes!

GabriellaG Sun 19-Aug-18 12:21:37

I really hate 'So' at the start of a sentence and upward inflections at the end but then, I dislike bad grammar and spelling.

sarahellenwhitney Sun 19-Aug-18 12:05:59

'Whatever 'OR 'as it comes' when asking how a person prefers their tea or coffee seems to be the norm! for many . In that case don't you dare complain if you find it not to your liking.