[Misc] Winning v Leading Pet Hates

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I know people who apply for research grant money from the MRC or other research funding bodies and talk about 'winning' a grant. Nauseating language. I am very pleased that some plum I know has been 'losing' in this regard lately.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It's not nonsense though, is it? Asking a barista "Urk A gihy e shimec?" would be nonsense, but "Can I get a coffee?" is going to result in your desired caffeinated beverage, even in the UK where the construction may have sounded strange a few years back. A lot of this is about cultural context. In the US, "may I have a coffee?"
might result in a momentary pause as the barista tries to figure out if you're making a special request. Then they'll probably say "I like your accent."

The op, and others, might be peeved by creeping Americanisms, which is fair enough, but to claim "can I get..." is linguistically illogical seems a bit futile.

*cough* Americanism *cough*

Incidentally, how the heck are you?

 

[AmexRuislip]

I just hate it when some random neighbour's just inflicted an excruciating week's worth of noise through your wall and you finally meet the guys doing the work face-to-face and all you can do is grin through gritted teeth and say 'You winning?'. Because in the end they're just doing their sub-contracted job and the buy-to-let **** that hired them don't care either way cos they don't live there

With you there THPP.
We've a neighbour who informed us that she was going to sand her wooden staircase, because of the expected noise.
This went on and on and on over a weekend.
She's probably whittled it down to an HB pencil

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Bloody Hell, there are a lot of Victor Meldrew types on this thread...

 

[Bakero]

Yes, we know.


It's called grammar. Try some authoritative sources -
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/get

https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/can-i-get



Ps. There's no equivalent of RAE or L'Académie Française governing the use of English so I don't see what prescriptivists are basing their "rules" on.

 

[GT49er]

https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/can-i-get

View attachment 135537

You can find a lot of stuff on the internet that is just plain wrong.

 

[jackanada]

"Let's agree to disagree."

Firstly, you don't have to agree to disagree, you just disagree.

Secondly it's always said by some complete idiot just after you have comprehensively dismantled their argument.

 

[The Optimist]

10 items or fewer, not less

The history on that one makes it a bit more debatable.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fewer_versus_less

 

[Bakero]

You can find a lot of stuff on the internet that is just plain wrong.

English dictionaries describe language as it is commonly used by native speakers. There's nothing wrong about it.

 

[GT49er]

English dictionaries describe language as it is commonly used by native speakers. There's nothing wrong about it.

So you would agree that 'could of', 'should of' etc. are perfectly fine because a lot of people use them then?

 

[Bakero]

So you would agree that 'could of', 'should of' etc. are perfectly fine because a lot of people use them then?

Nope. I'd say they're not acceptable in standard English.

 

[BN9 BHA]

I mean the word get has a multitude of meanings and is often used more as a "grammar" word rather than as a standard verb with its own intrinsic meaning. Look up get in a dictionary to get an idea of what I mean. Or imagine a foreigner asked you to explain the word get- how would you get it across?

When people gripe about get, they seem to be suggesting it is simply a synonym of fetch, which is patently untrue.

Thank you for explaining.
I just cringe sometimes when I’m in a pub ( a long time ago ) and I hear someone say “ can I get a pint of Carling “
I feel like saying, the person behind the bar will get it for you
I have never used “can I get “ in this situation, I say “ please may I have “ or “pint of Harvey’s please”

Maybe it’s an American thing or used by younger people that watch American tv shows.

 

[GT49er]

Nope. I'd say they're not acceptable in standard English.

As is 'can I get', despite what the Aussie sounding bloke on your link says.

 

[Robdinho]

So you would agree that 'could of', 'should of' etc. are perfectly fine because a lot of people use them then?

That's how language works I'm afraid. Same reason you're not using 'thee' and 'thou'

If enough people start using language in a different way that then becomes 'correct'

 

[BN9 BHA]

Bloody Hell, there are a lot of Victor Meldrew types on this thread...

I don’t believe it....

 

[dsr-burnley]

Ok I know it may be pedantic, but one thing that really gets on my nerves is how commentators and journalists in particular, but people in general don't understand the difference between Leading and Winning.

Commentator in the West Brom v Chelsea game has just perfectly illustrated the point. He said Chelsea were winning, and now they are losing. No they weren't, they were leading, and now they are behind. Its basic English, the two words have different though obviously connected meanings, and whilst Chelsea may well have gone on to win, its only once the match is over can any team be said to have been winning or losing it .

Is it laziness or ignorance? Similarly the difference between can i have and can i get- lots of people seem to use get when they should be using have. Saying nan I get a coffee for example, to a Barista is not the same as can I have a coffee.

Anyway, Im sure we all have our pet hates which aren't really important, but just irritate us, what are yours?(Im sure people like me posting things like this is high on someone's list)

Suppose in a Test Match, India scored 400 and England made 200 and are 201-9 in the second innings. "Who's winning" is a valid question, and the answer is India. "Who's leading" is also a valid (but strange) question, and the answer is England.

In football, "who's winning" and "who's leading" are just as valid as in cricket, but the answer to both questions is the same.

 

[Bakero]

As is 'can I get', despite what the Aussie sounding bloke on your link says.

You don't like it because it's not a phrase you grew up with, but language isn't frozen in time. The fact is tens, if not hundreds, of millions of people say "can I get" every day. Get used to it

 

[smillie's garden]

Except that it is illogical - and incorrect.

I disagree mate )). In this context we use "get" in the sense of receiving or obtaining something; a very common use of the word in question. As the informative video that Bakero linked makes clear, no cafe worker is going to think that the customer who asks this wants to go behind the counter to make their own drink: In the situational context, that would be absurd. They would know, being flexible users of the language, that the customer wants to obtain a coffee from the worker.

 

[portlock seagull]

When you go back to work after a bereavement, and people say 'you seem better'
What do the hell they know


People who pull out on you on a roundabout, then wave at you to say sorry.
Whats all that about?

My auntie gets really upset by people describing death as passed on. No, they died she says. Not passed on. Funny, we all have our personal pet hates.

Mine is ‘can I get’ instead of ‘may I have PLEASE’ An entire generation of utter millennial morons who cannot speak properly.

 

[AmexRuislip]

My auntie gets really upset by people describing death as passed on. No, they died she says. Not passed on. Funny, we all have our personal pet hates.

Mine is ‘can I get’ instead of ‘may I have PLEASE’ An entire generation of utter millennial morons who cannot speak properly.

Gotcha