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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Is this "may" same as "can"?
0 ‧We 01 b 01 font 00 may 02 font 02 b 00 count the ship as lost. 02 br
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00 ‧We 01 font 01 b 00 may 02 b 02 font 00 now prove that he is innoncent. 02 br
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00 ‧Gather roses while you 01 b 01 font 00 may 02 font 02 b 00 . (proverb) 02 br
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00 Does those " 01 b 01 font 00 may 02 font 02 b 00 " serves the same purpose of " 01 b 01 font 00 can 02 font 02 b 00 "(ability)? If I replace those " 01 b 01 font 00 may 02 font 02 b 00 " with " 01 b 01 font 00 can 02 font 02 b 00 ", will the meaning change? 02 br
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00 ‧We 01 b 01 font 00 can 02 font 02 b 00 count the ship as lost. 02 br
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00 ‧We 01 b 01 font 00 can 02 font 02 b 00 now prove that he is innoncent. 02 br
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00 ‧Gather roses while you 01 b 01 font 00 can 02 font 02 b 00 . (proverb) 02 br
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00 Thank you for your reply! 0-
02 br
00 ‧We 01 font 01 b 00 may 02 b 02 font 00 now prove that he is innoncent. 02 br
02 br
00 ‧Gather roses while you 01 b 01 font 00 may 02 font 02 b 00 . (proverb) 02 br
02 br
00 Does those " 01 b 01 font 00 may 02 font 02 b 00 " serves the same purpose of " 01 b 01 font 00 can 02 font 02 b 00 "(ability)? If I replace those " 01 b 01 font 00 may 02 font 02 b 00 " with " 01 b 01 font 00 can 02 font 02 b 00 ", will the meaning change? 02 br
02 br
00 ‧We 01 b 01 font 00 can 02 font 02 b 00 count the ship as lost. 02 br
02 br
00 ‧We 01 b 01 font 00 can 02 font 02 b 00 now prove that he is innoncent. 02 br
02 br
00 ‧Gather roses while you 01 b 01 font 00 can 02 font 02 b 00 . (proverb) 02 br
02 br
00 Thank you for your reply! 0-
Top answer
0 To me no Anon. " and 02 br 02 br 00 she says, "yes, you may/can go" 0-
- 0 To me no Anon.
- " and 02 br 02 br 00 she says, "yes, you may/can go" 0-
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4 Answers
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0 To me no Anon. The only situation I can gie you an example of is this: 02 br
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00 Suppose taht a student wants to go out of the classroom in the lesson and asks his teacher: 02 br
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00 "Teacher, could you give me permission to go out for a while?" and 02 br
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00 she says, "yes, you may/can go" 0-
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00 Suppose taht a student wants to go out of the classroom in the lesson and asks his teacher: 02 br
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00 "Teacher, could you give me permission to go out for a while?" and 02 br
02 br
00 she says, "yes, you may/can go" 0-
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0 This is something that rouses pedants and non-pedants to fury in discussion. The muddling of the two is (like the constant use of "get") a form of mental laziness. To me there is a distinct difference, and it is worth maintaining the difference. Essentially: 02 br
01 font 00 01 b 01 i 00 Can 02 i 02 b 00 means to be physically or
01 font 00 01 b 01 i 00 Can 02 i 02 b 00 means to be physically or
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0 In my opinion, 01 i 00 may 02 i 00 is often ambiguous between 01 i 00 can 02 i 00 and 01 i 00 might 02 i 00 . 02 br
00 For example, 01 i 00 We may count the ship as lost 02 i 00 can be thought of as another way of saying 01 i 00 We can count the ship as lost 02 i 00 or as another way of saying 01 i
00 For example, 01 i 00 We may count the ship as lost 02 i 00 can be thought of as another way of saying 01 i 00 We can count the ship as lost 02 i 00 or as another way of saying 01 i
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0 Thank you, Jim and Feebs11. I'm glad that finally there are some people who can solve my doubt, and I'm sorry for the repost. I was thinking that the post I wrote in an anonymous account wouldn't be posted. 02 br
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00 By the way, I admire Jim's knowledge of English grammar, because he has said something that ordinary grammar books didn't clearly mention. 02 br
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00 By the way, I admire Jim's knowledge of English grammar, because he has said something that ordinary grammar books didn't clearly mention. 02 br
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