M: Do you want to buy the char siew pau for me?
Moi: Huh? Why would i want to buy for you???
For that simple innocent reply, the rest got on my case!!!! I was like why? What did i do wrong? Why did she suddenly ask me if i want to buy for her? Why did she think that i may want to buy for her???
Well, apparently - as i was enlightened by the rest - she was asking me if i could do her a favour by buying it for her as she had to go off!!!!
So i was accused for being mean, for being unhelpful, for not being able to understand the hint!
But if she wanted to ask me to buy for her, why can't she just ask 'Can you buy for me as i have to go off?' instead of 'Do you want to buy for me?'
Maybe i'm too dumb to think there is a difference in that!
*Basically means 'Do you want' in French is one of their hits from their album of the same name.
2 comments:
Reminded me of my experience with "Cannot" / "Can".
"Miss, can I have my b'fast?"
"Yes of course you can eat, but you should/may not do it during the lecture." -- Can / May / Should... we seem to have a very little care for what they mean.
"Would you mind telling me if this item is in the stock by the end of today?"
"Cannot" -- erm... do you mean you don't have it? Can't make it for today? Or you cannot do it for me? Or you don't want to do it? etc?
haha. i know what you mean. i drive my students up the wall sometimes.
'Can i say this?' I would reply, yes, you can, but that doesnt mean it's right!!!
'Can you let us know?' I would say, i can, but will i? That is a different question altogether!
;-)
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