I'm a call center agent. When I ask to transfer the call to the authorized person, which form should I use:
Can I speak to...?
or
Could I speak to...?
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Why the down vote? – Kris Feb 19 '14 at 06:52
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How about May I speak to, since the person answering does not know your ability to speak. – mplungjan Feb 19 '14 at 06:52
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Can is a modal verb implying a definite ability to do something. Could shifts the sentence to the subjunctive mood, implying a potential ability to do something. – Leon Conrad Feb 19 '14 at 09:12
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http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/99957/what-is-the-difference-between-can-could-may-and-might/99960#99960 – Blessed Geek Feb 19 '14 at 10:21
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http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/60758/the-third-conditional-for-if-i-could/60807#60807 – Blessed Geek Feb 19 '14 at 10:22
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Grammatically, any modal verb is equally correct in that position. – RegDwigнt Feb 19 '14 at 11:59
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possible duplicate of When should we use "can", "could", "will", "would"? @Kris: I didn't downvote, but I still think things like this belong on ELL. We only have those really old questions because they were asked before ELL was created. But how will ELL ever graduate from beta if we keep questions like this on ELU? – FumbleFingers Feb 19 '14 at 16:52
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@FumbleFingers I see this as less of a question of grammar than semantics plus etiquette. Can I sounds very different from Could I in the context, and has a very different connotation. – Kris Feb 20 '14 at 07:06
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@LeonConrad Please see my comment @ FumbleFingers. – Kris Feb 20 '14 at 07:08
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@BlessedGeek Please see my comment @ FumbleFingers. – Kris Feb 20 '14 at 07:08
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@Kris - I don't disagree - I suspect I see grammar, semantics and etiquette being closely linked; while you see them as being separate, that's all. – Leon Conrad Feb 20 '14 at 12:20
1 Answers
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Only pedants or jokers would reject "Can I speak to..." or "Could I speak to...", any of these are acceptable, especially if you include the magic word ("Please").
While some people may find it overly formal, I would think "May I please speak to..." should be almost universally acceptable.
P.S. I remember a certain older gentleman who took great delight in torturing my young self with exchanges such as this:
Me: "Can I have a cookie?" Him: "Yes, you can, ..." (but doesn't get the cookie jar) Me: "... Could I have a cookie, then?" Him: "Yes, you could, ..." (still, no action) Me: "May I have a cookie, please?" Him: "Yes, you may." (finally, I get my cookie) :)
Jeffrey Kemp
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May is not much better in fetching you the cookie at all, it makes no difference. You "may" have and still may not -- Think again. Also, please see my comment at FumbleFingers under OP. – Kris Feb 20 '14 at 07:10
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Sure it does, the word "may" is perfectly acceptable as a request. Also, it's more polite to ask "May I have a cookie?" rather than demand "Give me a cookie!" – Jeffrey Kemp Feb 20 '14 at 07:13
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c.f. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/may "To have permission to, be allowed. Used in granting permission and in questions to make polite requests." – Jeffrey Kemp Feb 20 '14 at 07:16
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I guess the ultra-polite version would be something along the lines of, "My good sir, if it pleases you, could I trouble you to allow me the pleasure of speaking to ..." :) – Jeffrey Kemp Feb 20 '14 at 07:53