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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

IABU to hate "Can I get...."?

112 replies

tbtc20 · 17/02/2016 16:23

A colleague (English as first language) likes to adopt Americanisms into his speech.

His latest is to say e.g. "Can I get you to test this program" or "Can I get an account for our new starter".

I think he thinks it makes him sound cool.

Makes me wince.

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 17/02/2016 16:24

"Can I get an account for our new starter"? Is that wrong. There is a something, "an account" to "get". Surely...

Oysterbabe · 17/02/2016 16:24

It's really, really common. I hear it everywhere and hate it.

Doublebubblebubble · 17/02/2016 16:25

I'm British. Live here my entire life. I've said those sentences and would never think that they were an Americanism. Can I get you a cup of coffee etc. Why would that make anyone think they sound cool??

ReturnofSaturn · 17/02/2016 16:27

Yes this must have come from North America.
I have been in Canada for almost two years and have just recently noticed that I now often say this! Blush

Original poster
tbtc20 · 17/02/2016 16:27

Terry, yes maybe the account thing makes sense, but he did then go on to say "and get it...." (don't want to say too much about a private email).

Better would be to say "Please can you set up an account for our new starter and add him to...."

OP posts:
SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 17/02/2016 16:28

I absolutely hate "Can I get a coffee" etc. etc.

The two examples you've given wouldn't really bother me though - as there is no object or item they are getting. I might say, "can I get you to do this for me please" and I am not American and don't have Americanisms.

So 50% YABU and 50% YANBU from me Grin.

wasonthelist · 17/02/2016 16:30

Yanbu at all, but I suspect most people don't even notice.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 17/02/2016 16:30

Doublebubble - "Can I get you a coffee" is fine. It's "can I get a coffee" that's the Americanism.

Doublebubblebubble · 17/02/2016 16:30

*I have lived - whoops

Doublebubblebubble · 17/02/2016 16:32

What about "can I get a coffee please?"
I'm not sure about this one now...lol

usual · 17/02/2016 16:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
tbtc20 · 17/02/2016 16:32

"Can I get you a cup of coffee" is fine. You are getting something, although I think "Would you like a cup of coffee?" is preferable.

"Can I get a cup of coffee" is not fine. You are asking someone to get something for you or asking whether you can make one yourself in someone else's kitchen for example. "Please may I have a cup of coffee" is correct.

He asked me "could I get you to look at the data file" instead of "please can you look at the data file".

OP posts:
Original poster
tbtc20 · 17/02/2016 16:33

[goes off to actually look at sodding data file]

OP posts:
hooliodancer · 17/02/2016 16:33

I hate it.

When I am out it drives me mad

"Can I get a beer?" No, you can't. You don't work here, the waiter will have to get it for you.

"Can I get a pizza" . No, the waiter will get the pizza for you etc etc.

Doublebubblebubble · 17/02/2016 16:37

Oh I see. Confused

CombineBananaFister · 17/02/2016 16:40

Doesn't really bother me tbh, as long as someone is reasonably polite and I can understand what they are saying - maybe I have lower expectations of where I work.
As for saying things that make him look cool, a lot of people adopt a way of talking that they think makes them look like they belong to a certain group/clique - I'm imagining my mums telephone voice when I say this Grin

Katenka · 17/02/2016 16:47

When you are in the US they look at you with an odd expression of you say 'please can I have..?'

Because it sounds like you are asking permission to order something.

I am guilty (as I go to the US a lot) of saying 'can I get...?' When I get back for a few days as I get off looks off people.

May be because I spend so much time over there, it doesn't bother me. I can see their point.

lazyarse123 · 17/02/2016 16:53

I work in a shop, pisses me off. Can i get 20 cigs, NO you can't you don't work here,i do. May i or can i have 20 cigs. (we'll forget about the please because that's a whole thread on it's own.

oliviaclottedcream · 17/02/2016 16:54

YADNBU. I hate it too... I also detest "I'm good", instead of "I'm well" and my current bugbear is "kinda".

The young chap currently on 'The Great Interior Design Challenge' says it constantly. He kinda looked at a kinda sofa and kinda wanted to kinda upcycle it with a kinda hession he found...

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 17/02/2016 16:55

To be fair Doublebubble, there are worse crimes you could commit in life Grin.

Doublebubblebubble · 17/02/2016 16:59

No there isn't lol - I'm blaming Canadian dh for this

EssentialHummus · 17/02/2016 17:08

I'm guilty of "Can I please get a pizza?" or a Big Mac, going by today's trending threads but feel somehow better about it for chucking a "please" in there.

SaucyJack · 17/02/2016 17:15

I don't like "Can I get?", but tis true- "Please may I have?" doesn't work in coffee shops either.

The barista isn't my mother. I don't need to ask permission to have a double chocolate muffin this close to my dinner.

LogicalThinking · 17/02/2016 17:16

I don't think it has anything to do with thinking it sounds cool.
Language evolves. I can't get wound up over it.

SirChenjin · 17/02/2016 17:19

Perfectly acceptable up here in Scotland - we've been saying it for years, far longer than the Americans and Canadians Grin