Timeline for Do serious grammarians endorse the "Can I"/"May I" distinction?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
11 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Apr 24, 2011 at 22:25 | comment | added | z7sg Ѫ | That's not what I mean by able. | |
| Apr 24, 2011 at 17:50 | comment | added | Adam | @z7sg: They are physically able to go but not rightfully able to go. (they don't have permission) | |
| Apr 24, 2011 at 17:47 | comment | added | Adam | Not if not facing disciplinary action was a requirement of the student. The student was not able to go to the bathroom without facing disciplinary action. Look at definition four: "legally empowered, qualified, or authorized." The student was unauthorized to go to the bathroom and thus unable to go. | |
| Apr 24, 2011 at 10:43 | comment | added | z7sg Ѫ | Though the student may face disciplinary action, they are still able to go without permission. | |
| Apr 24, 2011 at 2:43 | history | edited | Adam | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Apr 24, 2011 at 2:39 | comment | added | Adam | I wasn't suggesting that anyone ever say "Can I, with your permission, go to the bathroom." That would definitely be redundant. I only included that parenthetical element to show that one's inability to "use" the bathroom is not the only reason one would not be able to go. A teacher preventing a student from going to the bathroom would be a reason why someone cannot go to the bathroom, thereby validating the question. I edited my answer anyways, though, because I agree that it is rather redundant in that form. | |
| Apr 24, 2011 at 2:36 | history | edited | Adam | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Apr 23, 2011 at 18:57 | comment | added | Dan | [gol dern 5 minute limit!]"Can I, with your permission, go to the bathroom" simply and redundantly says, "Do I have your permission to, with your permission, go to the bathroom". What person, save for those suffering from constipation, does not have the ability to go to the bathroom. "go to the bathroom" can also be interpreted as just visiting the bathroom. Is there also a prescription, given prescriptivists' penchant for clear and unambiguous language, against not honestly describing the real reason for one's visit to the john. | |
| Apr 23, 2011 at 18:50 | comment | added | Dan | "Can I, with your permission, go to the bathroom" simply and redundantly says, | |
| Mar 29, 2011 at 0:21 | history | edited | Adam | CC BY-SA 2.5 |
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| Mar 28, 2011 at 23:41 | history | answered | Adam | CC BY-SA 2.5 |