US shows etc, Lost for example

[Loosehead]

Been meaning to ask this for a while. On Lost for example no one ever says "Hello" or "Hi" they say "Hey" in the place where I might say "Hi". I even noticed it used in the Latest episode of Green Wing. So what's happenned? When did Hi evolve into Hey? Please tell me we are not going to adopt it? sound bloody ridiculous, amost as bad as "Can I get....." aaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh!

[patf49]

know what you mean ,lol.
They say it all the time on Grey's Anatomy, must be our Hi and their Hey

[Clanad]

Sounds like a recycling of the old Andy Griffith Show... One of the original characters was known as Gomer Pyle (for those too young to remember, it's set in the 1950's or 60's U.S. south, North Carolina I think), who was the simpleton service station employee and whose greeting was "Hey, Andy"... Still used, but rarely, here. Maybe it took that long to emigrate to the shores of the Sceptre'd Isle...

[THECORBYLOON]

What's wrong wi "can I get......?"

[Loosehead]

Are you having a laugh TCL. Every time I hear it I get this urge to throw up, it just sounds so naff.

"Can I get a coffee" aaaaarrrrrrrrrgggghhhh I just want to say I don't know maybe you could get one if you asked in non retarded way! sorry just one of my pet hates!

[THECORBYLOON]

The Chambers Online dictionary gived the following definition "get verb (got, past participle got or (US) gotten, getting) 1 to receive or obtain. 2 to have or possess."

I can't see what is "retarded" about it, can you explain?

[THECORBYLOON]

"gived?" that should have read "gives."

[Loosehead]

The dictionary definition is not talking about requesting things let me explain. To get, meaning obtain is exactly that, eg "I'm going to get a coffee" fine ; "I got a coffee" fine: " Can I get a coffee" fine if you are enquiring to the availibility of coffee; "Can I get a coffee" when asking for an actual coffee" aaaarrrrggghhh; "Can I have a coffee" fine; and after you have the coffee "I got a coffee" fine.

You see TCL "can I get " is the method for retards

[THECORBYLOON]

I say "Can I get....?" meaning "can I have...?" The second definition is "to have or possess" so replace "get" wi "have" and what is the problem? It may not be a construction of words favoured by you but for you to say that I and others who use that phrase "is the method for retards" is way out of order.

[Pam29]

Use of hey rather than hi is very recent. When I visited my brother in the US 2 years ago, he and his friends didnt use it - this summer when I was there they all did!

It sounds very bizarre when said in an English accent - lets hope it doesnt come over here - but it probably will eventually!

[Loosehead]

Sorry TCL "Can I get" is asking about the availability of something "Can I have" is asking for something. Surely you must see that! What would your English teacher have said?

[Loosehead]

Pam It's sounds bizzarre even when the Americans say it. I've mainly seen it on Lost

[FoxLee]

In our house it's even dangerous to say "can I have...?" if I want my son to pass me the salt, ketchup, or whatever. He'll say of course you can have the salt/ketchup. Nothing happens and then a few seconds later he'll say "oh, would you like me to pass you the.....?". You can be too pedantic. Now he just gets a "Give me the salt, please!!"

[Nether Edge]

"Can I have" is wrong, anyway.
"Can" means "am I able to".
"May I have" is what you mean, innit?

[Loosehead]

Yes you are quite right, May instead of Can but I suppose even that could be construed as asking permission!

[tara20]

Loosehead, my English teacher used to say, "Never start a sentence with 'so,' and never use the word 'get ' because it's ugly, colloquial, and there's always a better alternative.

[Pam29]

So......thats another thing that my brother and his american friends do all the time now...They start every other sentance with SO.
As in 'So I went to the movies the other night' or 'so I was talking to my sister yesterday'