"May I ask you a question?"

"May I"; "Please" and "Thank you" should be reinstated in our new "Cyber Village Internet Email Senders & Public Forum Posters Dictionary". When is the last time you've seen any of the forgotten three, other than from a close family member or friend? Why has civility become passé? My guess is that we're moving too fast through our lives to take notice or even care. (gb)

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
...a new internet language must above all facilitate honesty. all weasel words must go wherever unneeded words go to die. maybe begin with the simplest of things: a) lousy, stinkin emails could be spoken of as "ishmails"; b) similarly, an internet forum "post" within this unwanted word category becomes "poost". tone of meaning matters more than words. (gb)

Here's a new language for you.


YouTube

Originally posted by johnnylongwoody
Here's a new language for you.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkWMcRlE1mQ

2 Funny. 10 Q, Johnny.

Originally posted by Great Big Stees
You may but are you able?

That was usual reply by one of my teachers in elementary school.
It was suppoesed to be funny, but it astually did not, since it was directed to the children.

The sarcasm of the answer is justified, though, when it is directed toward the people who you knowi n advance that are boring and that they cannot finish a sentence (and a question).

"May I ask you a question" can mean many things. With proper intonation, it can mean displeasure with something. It is an introduction to... grumbling.

I don't think I'm getting this...'May I ask you a question?' is asking permission to ask the question, 'Can I ask you a question?' is asking whether one is able to ask the question. (Which of course one is; anybody can ask a question, whether you get an answer is another matter). Therefore 'May I....?' is correct. Why is it more complicated than that?

"Can or may?"

"People are often uncertain about whether there is any difference between can and may when these verbs are used to ask for or grant permission. For example, is one of these two sentences ‘more correct’ than the other?

Can I ask you a few questions?

May I ask you a few questions?

There is a widespread view that using can to ask for permission is wrong and that it should only be used in expressions to do with ability or capability. For example:

Can she swim?

Can you speak Italian?

But the 'permission' use of can is not in fact incorrect in standard English. The only difference between the two verbs is that one is more polite than the other. In informal contexts it’s perfectly acceptable to use can; in formal situations it would be better to use may." (http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/words/can-or-may-american)
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"Perhaps the thread's title and original post combine in an attempt to illustrate the difficulties of internet language (and to get the conversational ball rolling). Do you think gb's initial non-question and your non-question may be 2nd cousins? (bg) lol" (page one, gb)

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Note: vandervelde and Indonesia Phil, hope these comments help clarify the use of the phrase [you've rightly questioned and which coquette did previously] in context. -Bobby