Re: can-may

On 27 Dec 2004, at 4.12 pm, # 1 wrote:

> when translated in frensh, "can" and "may" are both translated in
> "pouvoir"
>
> is there a way to clearly divide when to use each?
Bah. Ignore everyone else. You'll sound much more native if you use
'can' to describe ability ('I can write') and permission ('You can
go'), and 'may' for possibility, when 'might' and 'could' are also
possible ('It might/may rain'). (I rarely say 'may' unless I'm doing it
for effect or to be pedantic.) (Not all 'might' can become 'may',
though.)

I'm quite surprised at the amount of people who immediately went off
and retold the prescriptivist rule (and then provided an exception); I
thought here prescriptivism was generally frowned upon...

> can/may someone help me?
Definitely not may. (But 'could' would also be acceptable there.)

--
Tristan.

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