BBC - Americanisms: 50 of your most noted examples

I edited my post you quoted, but it is different because saying something is "rude" and is more widespread in America is totally different than saying that something is "grammatically different" or even the more negative "bad grammar" and American. 

See, I think we were arguing two slightly different things!  I was just talking about "can" vs. "may" in my own personal experience.  I wasn't even considering the Americanism hullabaloo thing, which it seems like you were factoring in.  I probably should have considering the thread.  Gives it a bit of a different context, although I'm not entirely sure how different my stance would be.

Did I start all this by saying my British-raised son should know better than to say "can I get"?! 
I think there are other polite - and grammatical - ways to ask for something without using that particular phrase. You might say "Could I have the ..., please" or "I think I'd like the ..., please." The operative word being the "please" of course. I think in general children in the UK are taught from very early to say the polite thing. When asked if they want an ice cream, say, they are taught to say "Yes, please" and "Thank you". An American child is more likely to just nod or jump up and down screaming "I want choclit!" OK, OK -- I know that is a gross generalization! But it's something I was aware of in trying to teach manners to my kids.
And (in all fairness) my son is a very polite and caring person. It's just that he picked up a few odd expressions in an American high school 

And (in all fairness) my son is a very polite and caring person. It's just that he picked up a few odd expressions in an American high school 

I have no doubt, but going over to the U.K. the first couple times and spending extended time there a lot of their expressions sound odd to my ears. I still kinda wince when I hear "What ya on about?" I know it's not rude, but it sounds very rude to me if I look at the words alone, but the INTENT and way its said is obviously not rude.

Or I was going into a pub and the guy said "Hats off fella." I took that as rather rude, as "Hey take your hat off, with "fella" being a diminutive." If someone said that to me in the states, I would feel talked down to. My fiancée explained that no, it's just a common term like some would say "dude" here.

Anyway babble over until the next couple posts...

I think in general children in the UK are taught from very early to say the polite thing. When asked if they want an ice cream, say, they are taught to say "Yes, please" and "Thank you". An American child is more likely to just nod or jump up and down screaming "I want choclit!" OK, OK -- I know that is a gross generalization!

I think you have been around some very rude American children and probably haven't been back to the UK for a while. 

I think you have been around some very rude American children and probably haven't been back to the UK for a while. 

Well, exactly. As someone was saying on here, how you perceive politeness is based on what you were taught and have observed in the past. What was acceptable to my son's high school friends sounded "wrong" to me. But he was young and adaptable and wasn't bothered by it.

kids these days.....

(God we're getting old)

They were discussing this on BBC Radio Five Live this morning, lots of people texting in examples.....DW wasn't liking it!

You were taught that because "can" and "may" mean two different things (which were pointed out upthread).  Using "can" doesn't mean that you are putting extra demands on the person you are asking.

"May I have a scone, please?" = Do I have permission to have a scone?
"Can I have a scone, please?" = Are scones available and do you have the ability to give me one?

Both are correct.

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet but this is going around FB and I love it.

Stephen Fry Kinetic Typography - Language

+1

ETA: I guess I am surprised that I am the only one that can't see how calling something "rude" and "American" is totally different than calling something "bad grammar" and "American".  Again, this is by far one of the smaller and more abstract problems with articles like this, and not a point made by the original author, but the "debate" sparked.

Since this is such a minor point of an issue we're not supposed to care about, I guess I am also surprised that it garnered any response.

You're not the only one.  I completely agree with you, I just haven't really been following the thread.  

It is a fairly minor point, and probably not worth getting upset over, but I found it annoying as well.  However, it's one of these things about which people are obviously not going to change their minds.  So I hadn't felt it was worth going back and forth over.  The blog link I posted earlier said everything I wanted to on the subject.

"May I have a scone, please?" = Do I have permission to have a scone?
"Can I have a scone, please?" = Are scones available and do you have the ability to give me one?

Both are correct.

Scone as in gone or scone as in own?     See, we can't even decide ourselves how things are pronounced, not sure why we are having a go at Americans for it!

We were taught in school that 'Can I' implies you are asking if you are capable of doing something, as in, 'Can I fly?' if you are asking if you have the ability to fly. 'May I' is asking permission, as in 'May I have ...', asking the person if they will allow you to have it, or get it for you if they are waiting on you.

If I asked the teacher "Can I do xyz?" she used to say "You can, but you may not."

If I asked the teacher "Can I do xyz?" she used to say "You can, but you may not."

When I was in the 3rd grade I asked my teacher if I could go to the bathroom and her response was "I don't know, can you?". I had no idea what she meant and had to ask another student if that was permission to go or not. He very kindly informed me that I should say 'may I'.

I nearly pee'd myself, stupid teacher.

I nearly pee'd myself, stupid teacher.

Not stupid at all in my opinion, just doing her job.