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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

oldbatty Sat 18-Aug-18 10:44:49

I cringe at Can I get.......usually.....Can I get a skinny soy latte with hemp seed sprinkles and a babychino for Pansy.

pollyperkins Sat 18-Aug-18 08:00:12

I have to admit to doing a bit of upward inflection myself. I know it's a habit I've caught from the young ones but to me it kind of enquires whether the other person gets what you are speaking about and indeed invites a response. You.might say to your DH for example I thought I'd wear this outfit today? (Although that rarely gets any kind of response other than a grunt!) Or even to a friend 'We are booking a holiday to France next year?' Which invites a positive reaction such as How lovely! Or I'm worried about (GC) as he's not settling at school? (Oh dear I'm sorry to hear that.)
It's a bit like saying You know? At the end of a sentence.
It's hard to explain but some sentences seem to need it and not others. I don't mean to do it but can hear myself do it and DH complains about it! I must try to guard against it as people find it so annoying!!

Missterious Fri 17-Aug-18 21:31:10

Judgemental or what?
Those who don't mind its use have obviously never been in the service industry. "Can I get" is tantamount to "I want" and as we all know 'I want never gets'!

Jalima1108 Fri 17-Aug-18 19:16:33

and the upward inflection at the end of sentences à la Australienne,
Perhaps Australians are forever seeking answers?

GrannyGravy13 Fri 17-Aug-18 14:08:57

One of my AC uses can I get, always prefixed by please.

In their defence we have travelled in USA and Australia for months at a time. As long as please and thank you are used, I can just about live with this phrase, however, I do not use it and correct the GC.

Politeness is a must for me in all circumstances.

pollyperkins Fri 17-Aug-18 13:22:00

Sorry I've turened into an old fogey I realise!

pollyperkins Fri 17-Aug-18 13:21:26

We were at a restaurant last night and I was telling DH about this thread. Shortly afterwards a young couple came and sat oat the next table and started 'can I get' (t)ing like anything. She was eearing a ripped and frayed denim jacket and sneakers or whatever they are called now unlaced with the laces tucked in to the shoes. We just looked at each other and tried to keep straight faces.!.

TerriBull Fri 17-Aug-18 11:56:23

My son and his girlfriend, we have noticed, when we have been out with them, are a real couple of "can I getters" she has at least lived in America so that's her excuse, but he certainly didn't hear the "can I get" around us It's such an appropriated Americanism and the logical response should be "I don't know". I certainly don't mind the collective "hi guys", language does evolve, in fact I quite like that "Can I get" doesn't sound right in the context it is frequently used though. Not that I would ever say that to them.

MawBroon Fri 17-Aug-18 11:41:12

Judgemental or what Milliebear!
I hate poor spelling and grammar, deplore the overuse of “like” and the upward inflection at the end of sentences à la Australienne, but recognise too that the sort of intolerant inflexibility we sometimes encounter simply reinforces the image of grumpy grannies most of us would hope to avoid.
There’s worse things happen at sea!

Baggs Fri 17-Aug-18 11:29:02

In my experience "can I get" does not come across like that at all, milliebear.

I first heard "can I get" in Oxford Covered Market in 1994 spoken by a very nice young man from Birmingham who had spent a year of his first degree course at a US university. Some of the expressions used there had clearly rubbed off on him. He planned to go back after finishing his PhD.

Perhaps this is why I think all this complaining about an innocent phrase is daft.

Baggs Fri 17-Aug-18 11:24:19

Then why may I ask Baggs are you reading Pendant's Corner?

As I said up thread, grandtante, I am pedantic where meaning is affected. That's one reason I read Pedants' Corner.

Another is to see if a new thread in Pedants' Corner is actually pedantic or just a big moan about how other people talk because it's different from what someone's used to. Turned out this thread is one of those. My view is this: if it's allright for people to moan about perfectly understandable and not rude expressions made by others, then it's allright for me to complain about their complaining when I think it is not pedantry but something akin to linguistic snobbishness.

MillieBear Fri 17-Aug-18 10:55:50

In my experience "can I get" is almost always said whilst preoccupied with a mobile phone and comes across as disrespectful and dismissive. Beginning a sentence with "So" is becoming commonplace, as is the dreaded uptalk. I'm getting old! grin

MawBroon Fri 17-Aug-18 10:51:44

Is that ironic grandtante?

grandtanteJE65 Fri 17-Aug-18 10:26:07

Then why may I ask Baggs are you reading Pendant's Corner?

Teetime Fri 17-Aug-18 09:10:46

Oh I hate ' can I get'. If behind someone in a queue for coffee I make a loud request of 'Please may I have?' That'll show 'em!!! grin

jenpax Fri 17-Aug-18 08:45:52

I find that the use of the word server instead of the traditional waiter/waitress annoys me increasingly these days. Does this annoy anyone else?

ffinnochio Fri 17-Aug-18 08:32:20

I get you Toddleo, I really do get you. I don’t agree with your post, but get your need to write it.

Just exploring other uses of ‘get’. I suppose I could have used ‘understand’ instead of ‘get’ , but like the more affectionate use of ‘get’ in this instance. Seems less standoffish somehow.

pollyperkins Fri 17-Aug-18 07:15:20

Ha ha pensionpat!

pensionpat Thu 16-Aug-18 23:11:01

A level results have been announced today. A friend of mine put on Facebook (and you have to say this with a Black Country accent). I got an A level in woodwork. I put up a shelf and the teacher said "that A level"

Baggs Thu 16-Aug-18 22:40:56

Not offended by what you say, mcem, any more than I'm grated by how other people say things.

BTW, autocorrect wants you to be McEnroe!

mcem Thu 16-Aug-18 20:38:30

Sorry if it offends but I wasn't prepared to adapt my speech patterns (and those of my pupils) simply to show how willing I was to adopt what was a rather alien and idiosyncratic term!
Local dialect words and expressions are quite different! That would be the Doric for us but not necessarily Ulster and West coast.

Jalima1108 Thu 16-Aug-18 20:35:15

Perhaps I've been exposed to more speaking variations than people on whom some things grate.
Nah!
I've spent some considerable time in Australia and they speak a different lingo there? It's a purer form of English?

Baggs Thu 16-Aug-18 20:26:11

Best response, phoenix! Taking it in his stride ?

Perhaps I've been exposed to more speaking variations than people on whom some things grate. My interest is piqued when I hear a new way of saying something. It's all part of life's rich wotsit.

mcem Thu 16-Aug-18 20:11:23

Perhaps it wasn't clear day6 but it was very much by way of a request "Can I get an ice cream/ mars bar/ drink?" and not a synonym for fetch.
You're right baggs that it's more of a West Coast thing. Also N. Ireland.
I'm afraid it did grate when a student from
Belfast addressed my class by saying "Are yous gonna hand in your homework now?"

phoenix Thu 16-Aug-18 20:09:41

The (now dead) landlord of our local pub, if asked "can I get" would always reply, "no you can't, that's my job".