On 5/16/2012 7:34 AM, Scott Kitterman wrote:
On Wednesday, May 16, 2012 07:31:53 AM Dave Crocker wrote:
On 5/16/2012 7:28 AM, Randy Bush wrote:
can != may
one is ability, the other permission
When we were first taught English grammar, yes. Today, not so much.
Actually pretty much never. In modern usage, the distinction has been lost.
I must be ancient then as I still use this distinction (and similarly
would/could).
I try to too. The issue isn't with those of us who generate the
distinction but the masses that don't hear it and seem not to know of it.
This sort of change in language, across a few decades, seems to be
extremely common.
d/
--
Dave Crocker
Brandenburg InternetWorking
bbiw.net
