In modern English, most people phrase the request for permission to to have or do something by saying "Can I have...?" or "Can I do...?". While this is the generally accepted method, there are those who would say that it is incorrect. For them, the only way to correctly ask if you have permission for a certain action is to say, "May I...?". Which of these is correct?
For many, from a strict grammatical point of view the correct way to ask if you have permission is to say "May I...". Technically, when you ask using the "Can" form, you are not asking for someone else's permission, but wither or not you have the ability to have a certain item or perform a particular action. For example, when you ask, "Can I go to the bathroom", what you are actually asking is if you have the ability to go to the bathroom, not if you have permission to go.
However, as the language has evolved, it is becoming more and more accepted to use "Can I...?" in place or "May I...?". According to the Oxford Dictionaries website, you are fine in using "Can I...?" in normal everyday speech. However, if you wish to appear more formal or polite, the older "May I...?" should be used.
1. http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/can-or-may
2. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/can-versus-may2.aspx
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5 comments:
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