Re: can-may

On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 00:12:10 -0500, # 1 <salut_vous_autre@...> wrote:
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> Sender:       Constructed Languages List <CONLANG@...>
> Poster:       # 1 <salut_vous_autre@...>
> Subject:      can-may
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> but
> none of my english teachers had explained it clearly between can and may.
>
> Is it because there is no way to divide when you have to use "can" and
> when "may" is needed and that the only way is to develop it instinctively?
Can means "ability" - "Can he do it?" - is he able?, "Can he use the
bathroom?" - Is he able to use the bathroom (meaning, can he actually
defecate or urinate).

The second example is the reason why sarcastically many parents will
ask children who say "Can I go to the bathroom?" when they mean "May I
go to the bathroom?", "Well, can you?"

May is used to indicate possiblility or ask for permission: "May I go
to the bathroom?" - Is it possible for me to use the bathroom/ do I
have your permission to use the bathroom?, "He may want to go with
you" - "It is possible he'll want to go with you". It is related to
"might" . "It may rain tomorrow" - it is possible it could rain
tomorrow"


However, for many people, even native speakers, "Can" often replaces
"may", which is a point of contention with many who insist on proper
English.

But, as with French, Spanish of course used "Poder" for "can/may"

Ob conlang:

Montreiano uses "poer".

May I use your book? - Puao usar etó livro? /pwau usar e'to livro/
Can he walk? - Puaéu andar?  /pwa'ew andar/

The strangeness of the verbs comes from the diphthong, which in
Montreiano became /wa/ instead of /we/.

Which reminds me, when writing out the verbal conjugations, I decided
that It would be indeed interesting to collapse the -er and -ir
endings, since many of the conjugations for both were the same anyway.

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