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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

"Can I get"

278 replies

Facilitatingdarkness · 07/09/2021 21:02

What's wrong with "Can I have"?

It doesn't even make grammatical sense! I've noticed it more and more when people are ordering coffee, to the point that more people say it than not.

Makes me irrationally angry. Just me?

OP posts:
HaveringWavering · 08/09/2021 13:18

On the other US meaning of “preparing”, I’m sure lots of country songs have people in them who are “fixin’ to go”.

Legoninjago1 · 08/09/2021 13:19

Yanbu. Happens all the time in coffee shops. I'm waiting for the day a fed up barista replies 'yes sure it's over there' Smile

HollaHolla · 08/09/2021 13:20

It’s the lack of please/thank you which bothers me more....

HaveringWavering · 08/09/2021 13:22

Possibly not a nation of rude bots not but questionable brain cells when you put a G into a word that doesn't have one (Sandwich) wink

@Loubilou09 not as ridiculous as the English adding random “r”s to things - “DrawRing a picture” “JessicaREnnis” etc!

JaneJeffer · 08/09/2021 13:24

"Can I get" is common usage in Ireland. What's the big deal?

flibberyjibbery8 · 08/09/2021 13:26

Language changes and evolves all the time. If there is a 'please' at the end I don't see a problem.

user78231 · 08/09/2021 13:27

People think it's an Americanism and annoying when in fact it was totally standard in British English hundreds of years ago
Yes, things we call Americanisms are things that came from English usage at the time the speakers went to America, plus American English has some Germanic/scandinavian influence, particularly in preposition-verb use.

Bloodypunkrockers · 08/09/2021 13:29

@zingally

It's an Americanism. It's not grammatically wrong, but it does grate a bit to British ears.

I feel the same when I hear people talking about their shopping. "I grabbed a loaf of bread." No you didn't. You didn't snatch it from the shelf. You "got a loaf of bread" is fine.

It's. Not. American
JaneJeffer · 08/09/2021 13:31

That reminds me, it's almost time for the annual 'Halloween is American' thread Grin

lazylinguist · 08/09/2021 13:34

You can 'order' something without barking a command.

I quite agree. One of the ways of doing that is by saying "May I have...".

You don't seem to understand that use of modal verbs falls under the 'grammar' umbrella. That's why you'll find examples of their usage in a grammar book rather than only in a social etiquette guide.

Oh my goodness. The grammatical use of the modal verb in the sentence "May I have a coffee?" is perfectly correct, regardless of context. "Can I have..." and "May I have..." effectively mean the same thing in common usage. It is simply not the case that one of them constitutes an order and the other only a request or a seeking of permission. The only difference is that 'may' sounds a bit more polite or a bit 'posher' (exaggeratedly so, to some ears).

Anyway... I suppose we shall have to agree to disagree.

Rozziie · 08/09/2021 13:34

@user78231

People think it's an Americanism and annoying when in fact it was totally standard in British English hundreds of years ago Yes, things we call Americanisms are things that came from English usage at the time the speakers went to America, plus American English has some Germanic/scandinavian influence, particularly in preposition-verb use.
Yes, I get that.

I'm saying it's silly to be precious about it when it was once correct here. It not being commonly used in the UK these days doesn't make it wrong.

HaveringWavering · 08/09/2021 13:43

@JaneJeffer

That reminds me, it's almost time for the annual 'Halloween is American' thread Grin
Ha ha, yes!

Interestingly, while I don’t mind “can I get” and don’t question that it must be used commonly in Scotland if so many if you say so, I just wanted to add a contrasting experience. I grew up in Central Scotland and don’t think I would naturally say “can I get”, not do I remember using it a lot when I was young. I wouldn’t use “May” either though, that sounds very foreign to me.

I’d either dispense with the verb altogether and just say “Hello, a cappucino please!” or I might say “Can I have a Big Mac please?”. Or in a restaurant “I’ll have the roast beef please”. Or maybe even “I’ll take a hot chocolate”. I’m clearly not a go-getter Wink

lazylinguist · 08/09/2021 13:45

I feel the same when I hear people talking about their shopping. "I grabbed a loaf of bread." No you didn't. You didn't snatch it from the shelf. You "got a loaf of bread" is fine.

I imagine you could think of umpteen examples of expressions that you use regularly, to which someone could reply "No, you didn't literally do that, did you?". Do you never pop to the shops, hang around with your family or friends, or say that you're dying for a cup of tea? Or is it just American ones you find annoying?

irresistibleoverwhelm · 08/09/2021 13:45

Just no-one start talking about the past form of “text” and we’ll make it out okay…

lazylinguist · 08/09/2021 13:48

Shhh @irresistibleoverwhelm .

Wonmoretime · 08/09/2021 13:59

How about when someone says ‘this is so fun’. Another Americanism. It’s ‘such fun’ or ‘so much’

Rozziie · 08/09/2021 14:06

@Wonmoretime

How about when someone says ‘this is so fun’. Another Americanism. It’s ‘such fun’ or ‘so much’
It's not really an Americanism. 'Fun' is also an adjective, so it's fine to say "he's so fun" or "he's really fun". I would never describe something as 'such fun'...it's incredibly twee!
lazylinguist · 08/09/2021 14:08

Really? I'm pretty sure 'fun' can be used as an adjective as well as a noun in British English (e.g. 'That was a fun evening!'), so I don't see why 'so fun' would be wrong tbh. I wasn't aware it was a particularly American turn of phrase, but maybe it is.

lazylinguist · 08/09/2021 14:09

Cross-posted!

HaveringWavering · 08/09/2021 14:19

I would never describe something as 'such fun'...it's incredibly twee!

Wasn’t it a running joke on Miranda for exactly that reason?

Keke94LND · 08/09/2021 14:27

@Wonmoretime

How about when someone says ‘this is so fun’. Another Americanism. It’s ‘such fun’ or ‘so much’
This seems like a reach, should we all be speaking like the queen? I've heard Kate say 'o what fun' fine for her but I'd feel like a nob
Loubilou09 · 08/09/2021 14:33

@HaveringWavering

Possibly not a nation of rude bots not but questionable brain cells when you put a G into a word that doesn't have one (Sandwich) wink

@Loubilou09 not as ridiculous as the English adding random “r”s to things - “DrawRing a picture” “JessicaREnnis” etc!

I don't say Jessicar - my goddaughter is called Jessica and I call her Jessica sounds like "cuh" rather than "car"

I also don't say drawRing draw ing much like garden ing or hoover ing

There is no R in there, it is just the word with an ing on the end

Think you're clutching at straws a little bit there.

leavesthataregreen · 08/09/2021 14:59

@irresistibleoverwhelm

Just no-one start talking about the past form of “text” and we’ll make it out okay…
Why? Why did you have to say that? I was feeling so open-minded until then. Grin I squirm when I read 'I text her' as past tense, even though it's a relatively new verb so could well be an irregular one. But why? What's wrong with texted?
Rozziie · 08/09/2021 15:05

@Loubilou09 did you actually read the post?

Most English people definitely do insert an 'r' when there are two vowel sounds together. Jessica Ennis becomes 'Jessicerennis' and 'drawing' becomes 'drawring'. Most people don't realise they do it.

SirVixofVixHall · 08/09/2021 15:10

@Legoninjago1

Yanbu. Happens all the time in coffee shops. I'm waiting for the day a fed up barista replies 'yes sure it's over there' Smile
This would be me. Or “sorry you aren’t allowed behind the counter” . Thankfully I don’t work in a cafe.