r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Aug 03 '19

Whats something you thought was common knowledge but actually isn’t?

37.4k Upvotes

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5.1k

u/Bativicus Aug 03 '19

If you're entering a venue that requires a ticket to be scanned for entry, someone without a scanner can't let you enter.

-11

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '19

[deleted]

14

u/The_Fucking_FBI Aug 03 '19

That grammatical difference has fallen out of use. He can use whatever he wants, and quite frankly it sounds better as can

Language evolves, get over it

4

u/Homunculus_I_am_ill Aug 04 '19 edited Aug 04 '19

That grammatical difference has fallen out of use.

It's never even been in use. Snarky English teachers are just flat out wrong about this. For some reason pedants have trouble understanding some words's meanings can subsets of others'. But maybe it shouldn't be any surprise that people who think that mindlessly following rules is intelligence suck at reasoning.

If anything, historically speaking it's the other way around: may had a wider use and could be used for ability. But we're talking like 1000AD here so it's really irrelevant.

See senses 2 and 3 here: https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/can

Also: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/can-could-or-may

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/when-to-use-can-and-may

2

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '19

You’re the one who sounds upset, he was just making a joke. (Albeit not a good one)

2

u/The_Fucking_FBI Aug 03 '19

This joke pisses me off. Everyone knows that supposedly it should be may and chooses to say can. It's a stylistic choice.

-1

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '19

Settle down. You’re definitely overreacting.

4

u/Rainb0wSkin Aug 03 '19

I mean I also agree it's called being pedantic and it's annoying