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:uncontrol:uncontrol

You mean, "Thanks forgiven"? As in, "Forgiven with thanks for putting foot in mouth"? :D

I had to check out the original before I could understand that at all! :)

Is a traffic light yellow, orange or amber.

I always think of it as amber, but most online literature calls it yellow.


What is the correct term?

My Slate article on Rajinikanth was plagiarized by India Today. - By Grady Hendrix - Slate Magazine

The above article reminded me of another common practice. Instead of doing something, people say they like to do something. Is it considered the same thing? Is this an Indian thing?

I apologize vs I would like to apologize

I remember a Doordarshan TV street interview from the from 90s. A worker was digging a ditch on election day and the TV interviewer approaches him.

Interviewer: Hello, can I ask you why you are working today instead of voting?
The worker: [stops his work...] Ah... yes, you can ask.
Interviewer: [flustered...] Hmm, um, so tell me why you are working instead of voting.

This puzzles me too! Calls for 'inward' thinking, eh?
My kid's nursery rhyme had amber in place of yellow. But when I googled, I found yellow everywhere !

He would have been miffed if the answer was 'yes, of course you can, but you may not' :)

Reminds of an old line from the Reader's digest.

A lady asked an officer if she can take a right turn. He replied that she may take the turn, but can she take it is a question she must ask herself.

Can I ask you what you are doing is about not being sure the if the person will answer or if he likes to answer. I guess its about not having the right to ask in a way.

When I say "Can I ask you" - I think it means whether I have the ability to ask.

Q : Can I go to the restroom?
A : Don't know - it depends on you - can you walk? Do you know the way to the restroom? Are you kidneys in good order?

Q : May I go to the restroom?
A : No. Please go during the lunch hour.

Hee hee... the one I remember is the schoolchild in class,

"Miss, can I go to the toilet?

"If you can't, you should be talking to your doctor, not to me!"

According to British English, it is Amber, and I guess you guys inherited the signals from us so.... :D

You are right, and the answer is, "Well, go on then!"

Same with can I ask etc etc.

shrishiva, I see your point on this, but better to say, "may I ask you a question?"; "may I interrupt?"; "may I speak to you?".

I think you meant "we are" here

It is a fantastic thread, and is really very helpful.

So we had the 70s, 80s and the 90s, but how do you refer to the decade that just passed by??

At the beginning of the decade, someone suggested the naughties :)

Is it not orange? I remember that is what it is called in a nursery rhyme that goes "And everyone should obey, even the queen"!

The noughties you mean? As in nought-one, nought-two etc. I don't think that's in currency anymore. Nobody refers to the decade as ANYthing, come to think of it!