On Mon, 25 Sep 2006 08:31:32 -0700, Don Bowey
wrote:

On 9/25/06 5:32 AM, in article ,
"Al Klein" wrote:

On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:58:43 -0700, Don Bowey
wrote:

If you correctly ask "may I have a caramel" the correct reply is, "yes, you
may."

You don't listen to the conversation of many people under 20, do you?

Yes, but that just tells me there are too many uneducated or lazy people.

I'd say lazy. Too lazy to learn, perhaps.

If you correctly ask "may I have a caramel" the correct reply is, "yes, you
may."
The CORRECT answer is "NO, they'll ruin your teeth and besides, I just
had the last one".

In American English, "can" is often used as a permission rather than
ability, and not just by people under 20. It's in common usage.

When I was a boy, there was a mother down the street who was a little
snooty and when her son asked "Can I have a glass of milk?", she would
reply "You can but you mayn't". Talk about losing the battle and the war.

I'd be surprised today if this now-grown man EVER used the word "mayn't"
and probably still uses "can" as a permission.

Such is language.

The idea of a new language / alphabet based upon internet texting IS
fascinating. Another poster is correct, it all started with hams'
abbreviations in CW.

Is there perhaps an earlier precedent?

On Mon, 25 Sep 2006 20:30:27 -0400, Al Klein
wrote:

On Mon, 25 Sep 2006 08:31:32 -0700, Don Bowey
wrote:

On 9/25/06 5:32 AM, in article ,
"Al Klein" wrote:

On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:58:43 -0700, Don Bowey
wrote:

If you correctly ask "may I have a caramel" the correct reply is, "yes, you
may."

You don't listen to the conversation of many people under 20, do you?

Yes, but that just tells me there are too many uneducated or lazy people.

I'd say lazy. Too lazy to learn, perhaps.

One of the most difficult things I found from attending college at age
47, was not losing my grasp of the English language.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com