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"Can I have a word?"

(57 Posts)
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Grannyknot Fri 24-Jan-14 21:47:21

Am sitting watching pretending to watch Silent Witness with husband, the main character has said the above 3 times in this episode to various people.

Firstly, shouldn't it be may I have a word? Secondly, she should say "please". Thirdly, my experience has been that it's usually a bollocking lots of words as is the case in this show.

So if anyone says "Can I have a word?" to me, am gonna reply "No" instead of meekly stepping aside as seems to be required smile

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Ana Fri 24-Jan-14 21:50:45

Although, strictly speaking, they CAN have a word...

If they asked whether they 'may' have a word, then you could say "No".

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durhamjen Fri 24-Jan-14 21:53:22

They are actually actors, reading words that someone else has written. They do not have to be polite all the time.

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Grannyknot Fri 24-Jan-14 22:01:36

They can, Aka... but only the one!

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Galen Fri 24-Jan-14 22:23:45

People ( like my DD) who confuse may and can, and shall and will, drive me potty!

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Ana Fri 24-Jan-14 22:24:41

Well, yes...not disputing that. confused
(Although I am not Aka)

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Galen Fri 24-Jan-14 22:24:47

Oh! And should, shall, also!

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Ana Fri 24-Jan-14 22:25:29

That was to Grannyknot.

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Ana Fri 24-Jan-14 22:25:55

Oh, Galen, stop interrupting! grin

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Grannyknot Fri 24-Jan-14 22:29:03

Oops, sorry, Ana. My point is that it is never just one word, so, being pedantic, it should be "Can I have lots of words!"

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Nonu Fri 24-Jan-14 22:38:21

I love all this pedantic ness , just love it !!

[smile

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jinglbellsfrocks Fri 24-Jan-14 22:38:22

Would n't sound quite the same if she said, "can I have a long drawn out discussion with you" though would it.

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jinglbellsfrocks Fri 24-Jan-14 22:39:25

Add yer own "please"

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jinglbellsfrocks Fri 24-Jan-14 22:40:38

It was a boring Silent Wtness this time. I thought.

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Ana Fri 24-Jan-14 22:42:27

Actually, having thought further, you're right Grannyknot. If someone asked you if they could have a word, and you replied 'No', that would complete the transaction!

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absent Fri 24-Jan-14 22:43:56

Perhaps the appropriate reply would be "Of course you can. How about – pandiculate?"

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jinglbellsfrocks Fri 24-Jan-14 22:46:46

Show off.

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jinglbellsfrocks Fri 24-Jan-14 22:47:28

Alright for you. You're fresh out of bed.

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Galen Fri 24-Jan-14 22:47:40

Ana posts crossed. I was NOT interrupting

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jinglbellsfrocks Fri 24-Jan-14 22:48:43

We are all interrupting.

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jinglbellsfrocks Fri 24-Jan-14 22:49:07

Pain in the bum Innit.

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absent Fri 24-Jan-14 22:51:41

I hope you're not addressing me jingle. It's nearly midday; I've been up since six.

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jinglbellsfrocks Fri 24-Jan-14 22:59:29

Oh. Yes, well. It's bedtime here. Night night/have a nice rest-of-the-day

moon/sunshine

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thatbags Sat 25-Jan-14 08:50:35

Pish!

Can I have a word? is an idiomatic expression. It doesn't need to be perfectly corect grammatically.

That said, my parents always replied to Can requests that should have been May with: You can but you may not.

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thatbags Sat 25-Jan-14 08:52:00

Answering a straight no to the request in the OP would be out and out bloody rude.

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