"Do You Mind If I......."

Raphael

Is it me or is that phrase one of the most useless phrases in the entire english languages

As soon as anyone gets a response, they will, 99% of the time, just say

"Yes you mind, or yes i can?"

What the fuck is the point?? its a god awful waste of time IMO

Am i the only one to notice this?

Capt'n Midnight

Not to mention this pre emptive version

"Do you mind if I ask you a question.... ?"

flogen

its all solved by the word 'can'

'can I.....?'
'can I ask you a question....?'

You know where you stand with a yes then....

Flogen

kmart6

Do you mind if I give my opinion on this matter

Sorry could'nt resist,it's a phrase that really has no use at all

funky penguin

If your just really forward, you can avoid it.

Such as, " Listen Biatch, im gona eat this cake wheather you mind or not!"

Capt'n Midnight

Originally posted by flogen
its all solved by the word 'can'

'can I.....?'
'can I ask you a question....?'

You know where you stand with a yes then....

Flogen

So you've just asked someone to tell you if you are capable of asking a question, and you'd expect an answer...

Go back to the kerb for forgetting to say May I

flogen

Damn it!!
So a response to 'can i ask you a question?' COULD be 'Im sure you can, but I dont want you to ask me'...

May I it is...... good work Capt'n, your grammatical skills have been noted, you shall have a seat on the last rocket off this planet,

Flogen

echomadman

Is it me or is that phrase one of the most useless phrases in the entire english languages

As soon as anyone gets a response, they will, 99% of the time, just say

"Yes you mind, or yes i can?"

If i respond by saying yes, it means "yes I do mind" Generally I qualify it with the "i do mind" to keep it clear what i mean, otherwise I say "No I don't mind"

Anyone that misinterprets a response (takes a yes as meaning that person doesn't mind) or fumbles the answer (i.e. says no meaning that they do mind) has a poor command of the language.

flogen

handbag people, no foolin handbags.

perhaps the person answering has a bad command of the language and says yes meaning I dont mind, and no meaning I do....

Flogen

Gordon

Someone at work asked if they could ask me a question and instead of saying 'you just did' I said 'No'. And she didn't. Until some time later.

What gets my goat is in the movies - when there's someone hanging on to the edge of a cliff or some suitably dangerous situation - his mate will inevitably say "hang on".

If that ever happens to me I think I'll let go just to spite the bugger.

flogen

lol

yeah, reminds me of that naked gun quote, where theres a guy in a wheelchair being introduced to Drebbin, and he says 'please, dont get up'. Although that was meant to be funny.

Flogen

Kold

If someone didn't say it then I'd be annoyed. It's good etiquette, up there with please and thankyou. I answer "No, not at all, go ahead." or "Actually, yes I do mind, sorry."

PS, omg Flogen... just omg


Kold.

sceptre

Originally posted by flogen
its all solved by the word 'can'

'can I.....?'
'can I ask you a question....?'

I'm sure the last time someone asked me that when I was in a smartypants mood my answer was "Apparently you can"
(I should have added "... but just one and you've used up your allocation for today")

Kold

It's because you should use the word "May" as in "May I ask you a question?". Which... is a question in itself but the word may turns it into a request.

emorgan

Worse than those who say stupid things while asking questions are the people who mime asking for the time by pointing to their wrists. What is the point?? I know where my watch is!?!! Where the hell is yours? Should i point to my crotch to ask where the fecking toilet is?!!!

ixoy

Another case of redundant phrasing is when people say "Which of the following.." when they could say something more simple, such as "Identify the.."

Big Chief

QUICK!!!!!

someone call the grammar police...

Stark

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

Depends on the question dumbass. If I had a problem with questions in general, you would already have been punished for that one.

or

"Can you do me a favour?"

Ignoring the "can/may" fallacy, I'm hardly going to say "yes" straight off am I? "Yes, what is it?" "Sure, here's my kidney, would you like ice for it?".

LegacyUser

Originally posted by flogen
Damn it!!
So a response to 'can i ask you a question?' COULD be 'Im sure you can, but I dont want you to ask me'...

or 'You can but you may not' as my mammy would say

Senor_Fudge

there was this n00b that always used to say to me uhhhh can i ask u a question
and id think
u already did u horse jacker

Michael Collins

Or that classic question back in school when you asked the teacher "Can I go to the toilet?" and he'd reply "I don't know can you?"

Or if it was the crazy, slightly disturbing teacher who had a fascination with sex he'd say "Show me your willy and i'll tell you..."

And that's the truth

LegacyUser

you showed him and u liked it !!!

Senor_Fudge

****s sake thats not true
and if it is SUE his ass ^_^

Michael Collins

you showed him and u liked it !!!

Hmm if that wern't true I'd be very angry...

****s sake thats not true
and if it is SUE his ass ^_^

Well it was kinda funny...he wasn't serious...i don't think