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Old 20-Sep-2005, 06:28
DBP DBP is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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Default Re: Response to a question - 'may i' and 'shall i'

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Originally Posted by Gilbert
DBP: thanks, I knew it! It is perfectly clear that the "may I?/you may not" is not as common; as far as my question, I borrowed it from a Monty Python's sketch (where the answer was really snapped back (NO, YOU MAY NOT!).

Anyway, there seems to be a relation between can/have to and may/must, where the latter pair express an inner attitude, while the first one express pair is related to either a possibility or a necessity depending on an external factor, say a circumstance. That will explain why "can" and "have to" operate much more often than "may" and "must". Am I right?
This requires a great deal more thought for me, Gilbert and if you wouldn't mind, more explanation of what you're driving at. I think I follow you but ...
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