Janani, aged 11 is an incurable dreamer. Incurable is
somewhat misleading. For it is not a malaise. She is not a daydreamer. In a way
to speak, she is an incurable night dreamer. For rarely she went to bed when
the dreams did not start. One day at school, the English teacher spoke about
the importance of Spoken English. At the next class the history teacher taught
how Mahatma Gandhi won India freedom. That evening Janani questioned her
grandfather, Magarajan, about the importance of learning to speak in English. He
also held forth on the importance of a good speaking skill in English. That night
none other than Mahatma Gandhi himself came to teach Janani spoken English. And
the whole dream now unfolds as follows:
Janani: Hello, sir? How are you?
Gandhi: Hi, thank you. How do you do?
Janani: I am fine, too. But there is something that’s
troubling me, sir!
Gandhi: May I know what your trouble is, child?
Janani: First of all, what is the difference between May I
know and Can I know, sir?
G: Can I know or Could I know why are you having this doubt?
J: Once again I would like to know the difference between
Can I Know and Could I know, sir!
G: You are most welcome, my child. Both May and Could be
used with strangers and your superiors in age and station. For example, You
cannot ask of your teacher a doubt by using “Can I know the meaning of the
word, sir!” Instead, you should use either May or Could. For example, you could
ask him, “Could I know the meaning of that word, sir?” But not, “Can I know the
meaning of that word, sir?”
J: Why, sir? What is the difference?
G: The difference is in the form of politeness and respect
your question is phrased, child! But you could ask me, “Can I know, uncle, the
meaning of this/that word!”
J: But you are the father of the Independent India, sir!
G: But we have already become friends, haven’t we?
J: O, it’s a great privilege, sir, to have the father of the
nation for a friend!
G: Now, can I ask you a question?
J: Could I know the reason, sir?
G: Could is wrong, my friend. You should start your question
or inquiry with your friends or someone in the family as Can I know the reason,
uncle, for example. Please drop the “sir” and use the appellation, uncle, ok?
J: OK, uncle!
G: No, that’s bad manners, my friend, Janu! You should add, “thanks!”
and that is good manners that need to be adhered to even between friends and in
one’s own family. So you must have saie, “OK, uncle. Thanks!”
J: O, I see. Thank you, uncle!
G: Once again there’s a correction: “Thanks!” is enough
between friends, “Thank you is formal. And you should say, “Thank you, sir!”
when you thank your class teacher or an elderly passenger on a train journey.
J: Now I understand, uncle. “May I and Could I “ form the
beginning of a question between an inferior and his superior or between
strangers. But “Can I” is enough and right to be used between friends and in
one’s own family!
G: Good! Is that all?
J: No, there is something else, and that is, “like can I “
thanks” is enough between friends. But before older strangers and one’s
superiors, “thank you!” is suitable.
G: How clever of you, Janu! You are very quick on the uptake!”
J: Quick on the uptake? What does it mean?
G: It’s an idiom, child. An idiom is peculiar to a language.
The same meaning for the words forming the idiom cannot be given. For example, “He
breathed his last!” or “He kicked the bucket!” mean “He died! So the ordinary
meaning of the words forming an idiom cannot be taken. Every idiom, like
phrases, must be learnt as individual words, when you get to know a strange
word, or look it up in the dictionary!
J: But, uncle, what does the idiom being very quick on the
uptake mean?
G: It means, You have a very good grasp. Or, you pick up the
meaning of a word or explanation very fast!
J: Thanks for your encomium, uncle!
G: You deserve it, my child.
J: Can and Could have still more significance, uncle?
G: Yes, even between friends and in the family “Can” may be
used in an inquiry which tests one’s ability or strength. For example, even
between strangers and friends, “Can you lift this box?” could be used. Because
in this place, “Can” denotes one’s ability to lift the box.
J: So I can tell my teacher, “Sir, I can recite the whole
poem without any faltering?”
G: How, smart you are, my child. And there are many other
instances when can, could, may, might, will, would, shall and should could be
used. We will soon discuss the same.
{ to be continued}
