Why is it more polite to say "May I?" vs "Can I?"
2007-03-02 05:49:48 · 22 answers · asked by Mayonaise 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Grammarians claim that the verbs "may" and "can" have different meanings. They say that "may" asks for permission, while "can" asks about ability. However, "can" is also used for asking for permission and has been used that way for a very long time (most likely hundreds of years). So grammarians are just pretending that it doesn't have that meaning, I suppose because they think it's more orderly for each verb to have only one meaning. It's more "polite", then, to use "may" only in the sense that it conforms more to expectations about grammar rules.
2007-03-02 09:06:07 · answer #1 · answered by drshorty 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
May I is the preferred option in polite society
And May I use your bathroom is better than May I go to the bathroom
2007-03-02 05:54:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
The definition of can is to be able to. So when a person asks "Can I...?" he or she is asking if they have the ability to do an action. The response I give to that is "Only you would know."
The definition of may is to express possibility. When a person is asking "May I ...?" he or she is asking if it would be alright with the other person to do said action.
So it is not an issue of showing manners, it is an issue of using proper English.
2007-03-02 05:59:10 · answer #3 · answered by Awesome Alisa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
'Can I?'- well of course you can. Everybody needs to go to the bathroom at times and has the ability to. (some exceptions.) But 'May I?' asks for permission to go to the bathroom.
2007-03-02 05:54:32 · answer #4 · answered by Bud's Girl 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
We all ready know that you can use the batharoom so Can I does not fit May I is asking permisson to leave a task to go to the bathroom. :o)
2007-03-02 05:54:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Can I means am i able to? Of course you are. May I is asking for permission.
2007-03-02 05:54:06 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
can i is implying that you might not be able to go to the bathroom. May I is asking permission
2007-03-02 05:52:25 · answer #7 · answered by mervelash 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't know, but I had an Art teacher that would NOT let us get away with saying 'can I'. He would CONSTANTLY say, "I don't know...can you?" So I guess if you say 'can I' - it's a rhetorical question versus 'May I' meaning you can, but you're asking. Sounds silly to me!
2007-03-02 05:53:41 · answer #8 · answered by curiousgeorgette 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
May I,
I used to have teachers that when you asked "can I go" they would reply back...I don't know can you? lol
2007-03-02 05:53:53 · answer #9 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
'May I' is probably more correct according to the language purists, but I think 'Can I' is perfectly fine too. Let's not get too picky!
2007-03-02 08:42:25 · answer #10 · answered by Sheriam 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋