Same ‘old school learning' as you sammee, complete with those dreaded elocution lessons.
My Grandmother always insisted ‘children should be seen and not heard’ (always imagined myself stuck in a fish bowl or gagged), no elbows on, or reading at the dinner table. When I had finished my meal, I always had to ask ‘MAY I leave the table’ and NOT ‘CAN I leave the table’. As a child I really couldn’t see the difference until my Mother explained to me that using the word CAN presupposes that you are capable of doing so without adult permission. My Grandmother was a very strict lady but I loved her to bits, Mum was just a tiny more lenient thank goodness.
Other words I really loathe are – gonna, watcha, doin, haveta, me instead of my, plus ebay’s biggest furphy “G’day”. I really hate that revolting salutation, not all Australians abuse the English language as does Paul Hogan and the late Steve Irwin, a simple ‘Hello’ is quite sufficient...OMG, now I’m beginning to sound like my Grandmother. :_|
