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I'm not a grammarian, let alone a serious one, but I'd like to make a case for both words being synonymous in that context.

Let's look at the following phrase in which a student asks a teacher for permission to go to the bathroom:

[1] May I go to the bathroom?
[2] Can I go to the bathroom?

Sentence [1] is pretty self-explanatory.

Sentence [2], though, could be interpreted as follows:

[2-alt] If I have your permission to go to the bathroom, then I am able to go. If I do not have your permission, then I'm not able to go. Therefore, I am able to go to the bathroom? Or, rather: can I go the bathroom?

Sentence [2-alt] uses the definition of "can" that means to "be able to." The student is asking if he or she is able to go to the bathroom. (if he or she does not have permission, then he or she is not able to go.) The "with your permission" part was understood, if you will.

edit: Changed [2-alt] to be slightly more logical and slightly less redundant.

I'm not a grammarian, let alone a serious one, but I'd like to make a case for both words being synonymous in that context.

Let's look at the following phrase in which a student asks a teacher for permission to go to the bathroom:

[1] May I go to the bathroom?
[2] Can I go to the bathroom?

Sentence [1] is pretty self-explanatory.

Sentence [2], though, could be interpreted as follows:

[2-alt] If I have your permission to go to the bathroom, then I am able to go. If I do not have your permission, then I'm not able to go. Therefore, I could ask: am I able to go to the bathroom? Or, rather: can I go the bathroom?

Sentence [2-alt] uses the definition of "can" that means to "be able to." The student is asking if he or she is able to go to the bathroom. (if he or she does not have permission, then he or she is not able to go.) The "with your permission" part was understood, if you will.

edit: Changed [2-alt] to be slightly more logical and slightly less redundant. The explanation following it no longer makes as much sense, but I think it still serves its purpose.

I'm not a grammarian, let alone a serious one, but I'd like to make a case for both words being synonymous in that context.

Let's look at the following phrase in which a student asks a teacher for permission to go to the bathroom:

[1] May I go to the bathroom?
[2] Can I go to the bathroom?

Sentence [1] is pretty self-explanatory.

Sentence [2], though, could be interpreted as follows:

[2-alt] Can I, with your permission, go to the bathroom?

Sentence [2-alt] uses the definition of "can" that means to "be able to." The student is asking if he or she is able to go to the bathroom. (if he or she does not have permission, then he or she is not able to go.) The "with your permission" part was understood, if you will.

I'm not a grammarian, let alone a serious one, but I'd like to make a case for both words being synonymous in that context.

Let's look at the following phrase in which a student asks a teacher for permission to go to the bathroom:

[1] May I go to the bathroom?
[2] Can I go to the bathroom?

Sentence [1] is pretty self-explanatory.

Sentence [2], though, could be interpreted as follows:

[2-alt] If I have your permission to go to the bathroom, then I am able to go. If I do not have your permission, then I'm not able to go. Therefore, I am able to go to the bathroom? Or, rather: can I go the bathroom?

Sentence [2-alt] uses the definition of "can" that means to "be able to." The student is asking if he or she is able to go to the bathroom. (if he or she does not have permission, then he or she is not able to go.) The "with your permission" part was understood, if you will.

edit: Changed [2-alt] to be slightly more logical and slightly less redundant.

I'm not a grammarian, let alone a serious one, but I'd like to make a case for both words being synonymous in that context.

Let's look at the following phrase in which a student asks a teacher for permission to go to the bathroom:

[1] May I go to the bathroom?
[2] Can I go to the bathroom?

Sentence [1] is pretty self-explanatory.

Sentence [2], though, could be interpreted as follows:

[2-alt] Can I, with your permission, go to the bathroom?

Sentence [2-alt] uses the definition of "can" that means to "be able to." The student is asking if he or she is able to go to the bathroom. (if he or she did not have permission, then he or she is not able to go.) The "with your permission" part was understood, if you will.

I'm not a grammarian, let alone a serious one, but I'd like to make a case for both words being synonymous in that context.

Let's look at the following phrase in which a student asks a teacher for permission to go to the bathroom:

[1] May I go to the bathroom?
[2] Can I go to the bathroom?

Sentence [1] is pretty self-explanatory.

Sentence [2], though, could be interpreted as follows:

[2-alt] Can I, with your permission, go to the bathroom?

Sentence [2-alt] uses the definition of "can" that means to "be able to." The student is asking if he or she is able to go to the bathroom. (if he or she does not have permission, then he or she is not able to go.) The "with your permission" part was understood, if you will.