atw: Re: US/Aus English

Michael, Bryson was focussing just on "may" v "can" in the
permission sense. of course I didn't say "may" isn't used for
permission, only that it's correctly and commonly used in other
senses as well. You seemed to classify its probability use (as in
"There may be trouble ahead") as some kind of new American
infection. Actually it's common in speech and writing and has been
for centuries. English literature is chock-full of "may" in the
probability sense.

------------------------------------------
Peter Bloxsom
http://www.netpublish.net
peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Edward Granat" <megranat@xxxxxxxx>
To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 12:01 PM
Subject: atw: Re: US/Aus English


> You might well be right, Peter (B).
>
> Indeed, you may even be right.
> (Even if you don't require my permission to be so.)
>
> That said, let us take a look at an extract of what Bill
> Bryson wrote in his "Dictionary of Troublesome Words"
> for "can, may".
> (Wow, punctuation within quotes, but I was quoting a
> punctuated piece. See ya later punctuator! In a while
> apostrophile!)
>
> "can, may.  You have probably heard it a thousand times
> before, but it bears repeating that can applies to what is
> possible and may to what is permissible."
>
> If the 'Merkins don't think that might is right, who does!
>
> HTH.
>
> Regards,
>
> Michael
>
> --
> Michael Granat
> Write Ideas*

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