pet peeves
By Elizabeth
@Poppylicious (11133)
June 7, 2018 1:28am CST
All I am hearing on the bus this morning is, Can I get. Its not even really a question, is it?
Can I get a return to University City.
Can I get a single to La La Land.
When did we start uttering these terrible sounds? What's wrong with a good old-fashioned, Please may I have? I understand that the English language is constantly evolving, that things change and all that malarkey, but it just frustrates me that it seems to change for the worst.
*sigh*
/minirantover
In other random news I trod on my puddy-cat's paw last night. Accidentally, of course. He spent the rest of the evening running away from me. So, now he associates me with pain. Will all be forgiven tonight, I wonder. He's fine and dandy by the way; no physical harm done, but I do feel guilty. Bless him.
5 people like this
6 responses
@xFiacre (12597)
• Ireland
7 Jun 18
@poppylicious ‘Can I get a coffee?’ The answer to that question in a café is either ‘I don’t know’ or ‘Yes, it’s over there, go and get it’. This use of the word get is monstrous. It’s on a par with saying ‘I’m good’ when the correct answer to the question ‘How are you?’ Is ‘I’m well, thank you’.
2 people like this
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
8 Jun 18
I hate hearing that. I'm always very careful in Costa to say "May I have" and I always say "to take-away" because "to go" is nearly as irksome!
@xFiacre (12597)
• Ireland
8 Jun 18
@Poppylicious You could always ask for a cup of coffee in a disposable cup to drink as you saunter along the pavement. Dear knows what you would be given though.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
7 Jun 18
"A return?" I'd say, "I don't know whether you can or not. It depends on whether you have the right money, maybe."
In my head I hear: "May is over. It's in the can. June-Oh the magic word? D'you know the magic word? The magic word is '[PLEASE] may I have ...'. Why, yes, sir or madam, of course you can, if you know the right buttons to press! ..." ... &c. &c.
I keep nearly running over my cat's tail with the wheels of my office chair. He's so darned quiet that I don't see him there! The look in his eyes says "I'm offended now ... but I think I'll forgive you ... well, maybe, somehow!"
2 people like this
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
8 Jun 18
I'm always worried about Husband doing that with Dora cat because she sneaks up and curls around his chair!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
7 Jun 18
I love the old fashioned English language. Being of a different native language, all those changes are confusing. I read phrases that were supposed to be wrong when I studied English. Poor cat, I hope she has forgiven you by now. I almost stepped on the tail of Willy coming back home today. He always wait for us on the doormat and does not move when I need to go inside with my grocery bags.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
8 Jun 18
@Poppylicious Poor boy cat, I am glad he is fine now. Internet was launched in the United States, I can understand that most sites are Americans and the language is American, but in the UK this is not normal.
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
8 Jun 18
@LadyDuck No, but American culture is everywhere and so is their style of English. It makes me sad, even though I know the language never really stops evolving, and even though some of their words were our words first {fall instead of autumn, for example.}
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
8 Jun 18
It was Boy cat. He's fine now ... I think he's forgotten! The internet and whatnot has made American English very common, even here in the UK. It's thoroughly irksome.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21737)
• Canada
7 Jun 18
Mostly I remember to say please. I always say thank you.
The servers don't help. They ask, What can I get you?
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
8 Jun 18
That doesn't help! I prefer to hear something like "What would you like?" or "How may I help you today?"
@Hannihar (129481)
• Israel
7 Jun 18
@Poppylicious
He is beautiful. He will get over it. My cat if I accidentally step on her paw she will bite me.
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
8 Jun 18
I think he's just about recovered and forgiven me now. :)
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129481)
• Israel
10 Jun 18
@Poppylicious
They do forgive you. They are nicer than people.
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20261)
•
12 Jun 18
I stepped on my fan's tail once (accidentally) since that tomcat kept following me around (he was sort of adopted by that boarding house). After that, for a few days, he stayed far from me. 
