Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: may or can

Non riesco a capire bene ancora la differenza tra may e can.
May you help me?
Can you help me?
Both correct?
I can go. I may go. What's the difference? 

 Both correct?
Si', ma non significherebbero lo stesso, secondo la distinzione appena
descritta.

Nurax ha scritto:
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Alla domanda "Can I go to the toilet" un'insegnante inglese una volta 
rispose a una mia amica "I don't know if you can, but you may certainly".

 <can> invece di <may>.
anche io - che di inglese ne so pochissimo - ho sempre usato "may" nel 
senso di "mi / ti ï¿œ permesso".
Sospetto che negli States usino sempre "can".

):
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It's probably another difference between British English and American 
English.
In the States, "may" isn't frequently used to ask for permission to do 
something, other than in the stock phrase "May I help you?" Even this one is 
usually rendered "Can I help you?"
("May you help me" sounds very odd, and you probably would never hear it 
here.)
In fact, "may" more often takes on the sense of likelihood or probability:
I may go to the coast this weekend. (Not giving myself permission to do so; 
rather, I"m saying that it's a possibility.)
Asking for permission to do something is most often expressed with "can," 
making such phrases possible: "Can I go to the can?"
(the can): informal the toilet.
-- 
Joe/Joey da New York
English as she is spoken (and sometimes written) in the US.
"English as She Is Spoke" is the common name of a 19th century book credited 
to Josï¿œ da Fonseca and Pedro Carolino, which was intended as a 
Portuguese-English conversational guide or phrase book, but is regarded as a 
classic source of unintentional humour.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_As_She_Is_Spoke

 schrieb im Newsbeitrag 
news:B3pWm.110119$9f6.1...@twister1.libero.it...
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in this case, not universally true!
"I don't know if you can, but you may certainly".
can: be able to
may: have permission
"I don't know if you are able to go to the toilet, but you certainly have 
permission to do so"
Anna


La nonna di un mio amico da bambino alla domanda "Can I have some 
cookies?" era solita rispondere "Of course you can, dear, but you may not."

 I can go. I may go. What's the difference?
So come andare/ho la possibilità di andare. Mi è permesso di andare/è 
possibile che io vada (cioè "forse vado").
-- 
Armando di Matteo <a r m y ONE NINE EIGHT SEVEN AT e m a i l DOT i t>
Vuolsi così colà dove si puote / ciò che si vuole; più non dimandare.
[  T  H  I  S     S  P  A  C  E     I  S     F  O  R     R  E  N  T  ]

 "Can I go to the can?"
Can you can your can?
Puoi mettere in scatola il tuo gabinetto?
-- 
P�s g�r ho ait�n lamb�nei, ka� ho zet�n heur�skei, ka� t� kro�onti 
anoig�setai
(Euagg�lion kat� Lo�kan 11,10)

delu, 16:29, gioved� 17 dicembre 2009:

Un po' come quelli che:
- Hai una sigaretta?
- S�. (e non gliela d�)
- Sai che ora �?
- S�.
-- 
I have defined the hundred per cent American as ninety-nine per
cent an idiot.
    -- George Bernard Shaw

 Puoi mettere in scatola il tuo gabinetto?
C'era un complesso di nome Canned Heat, blues rock mi pare.
-- 
In an East African newspaper:
"A new swimming pool is rapidly taking shape since the
contractors have thrown in the bulk of their workers."

 C'era un complesso di nome Canned Heat, blues rock mi pare.
Life in a tin can era dei Bi Gis?


 
That would be difficult, but maybe not impossible.
HOWEVER, I must now look for a job because I got canned for spending too much 
time in the can. I CAN'T believe it!  :-)


 
Yes.


 contractors have thrown in the bulk of their workers."
Ecco l'ottimo compendio di errori di questo tipo, sul sito del mio
quondam professore di sanscrito:
http://bombay.indology.info/howlers.html
A mio parere questo sarebbe il più buffo:
(On "A ceremony you have witnessed.") When the wedding was over the
bridegroom clasped his loved one tight in his arms, while the little
organ began to swell & fill the room.


You can't can your can, but you can can-can in the can.
Joe from Massachusetts

On Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:58:33 -0500, Joseph Curtin wrote
(in article <XgJWm.49302$cd7....@newsfe04.iad>):
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Considering that my can can mean my butt, I suggest it is possible to can my 
can, not that I want to, but can I not help bringing it up? I can not!


 You can't can your can, but you can can-can in the can.
Can you can-can in the can canning a sugar cane?



If you expose your can while doing the can-can in the can, you might get
thrown in the can.
Joe from Massachusetts

Anna ha scritto:
but you may certainly".
Shouln't it be "but you certainly may"?
Tabhall

tabhall ha scritto:

Con i modali se non ricordo male l'avverbio va dopo, ma aspetto smentite 
autorevoli...

 Yes.
 
C'era un complesso di nome Yes, progressive rock mi pare.
-- 
"Having sex is like playing bridge. If you don't have a good
partner, you'd better have a good hand."
                -- Woody Allen

 might get thrown in the can.
Orco can!
-- 
There is an old time toast which is golden for its beauty.
"When you ascend the hill of prosperity may you not meet a
friend."
    -- Mark Twain

 while the little organ began to swell & fill the room.
:-)
�The octopus wrapped his testicles round the diver & strangled
him.�
-- 
It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isn't a
dentist.
It produces a false impression.
    -- Oscar Wilde.

 C'era un complesso di nome Yes, progressive rock mi pare.
Ah, Yes. I remember them well.


):

In this case, IMO, it seems to make more sense to end with "...you certainly 
*may*" as a way of pointing out the contrast.
Possible choices:
"I don't know if you can, but you certainly may".
"I don't know if you can, but certainly you may".
"I don't know if you can, but you may, certainly".
"I don't know if you can, but you certainly may go".



I should have said:
If you expose your can while doing the can-can in the can, you
can get thrown in the can.
Just in case anyone missed it:
can = butt
can = toilet or bathroom
can = jail
Joe from Massachusetts

 Ah, Yes. I remember them well.
Ho il CD "Close to the Edge" del 72.
Cord of Life +++
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I had it on vinyl... long gone :(


 him.»
Sì, un capolavoro, simili a tanti che io ho fatto in italiano e
sanscrito.