Re: Can I say "Is John here?"


Jim Lawton wrote:
> On 31 Aug 2005 03:09:19 -0700, "FRAN" <fran_beta@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> >
> >Andrew Taylor wrote:
> >> Harvey Van Sickle wrote:
> >> > On 31 Aug 2005, cyberdude wrote
> >> >
> >> > > Hi,
> >> > >
> >> > > I dial to my friend, John, and I want to speak to him. After
> >> > > connecting, can I say:
> >> > >
> >> > > Is John here?
> >> > >
> >> > > in addition to
> >> > >
> >> > > Is John home.
> >> > >
> >> > > ?
> >> >
> >> > "Is John here?" would be an odd question to ask, as you're not in the
> >> > same location as the person who answers the phone.
> >> >
> >> > "Is John there?" would be fine, though.
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Cheers, Harvey
> >> > Canadian (30 years) and British (23 years)
> >> > For e-mail, change harvey.news to harvey.van
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> I suppose "Is John here?" is consistent with the US usage "Who is
> >> this?",
> >> which always seems a pointless question to me...
> >>
> >> Andrew Taylor
> >
> >Or perhaps "Is that John?" (if you're not sure) IF not:
> >
> >Could I speak with John?
> >
> "with" sounds U.S. to me ;
>

Really? If it is perhaps I've picked it up.


> I'd say "Can I speak to John?".
> --

Yes that's also possible, though "with" sounds a touch more polite,
don't you think? Less like a monologue and more like dialogue.

Fran

> Jim
> "a single species has come to dominate ...
> reproducing at bacterial levels, almost as an
> infectious plague envelops its host"
> http://tinyurl.com/c88xs

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Can I say "Is John here?"
    ... >> Harvey Van Sickle wrote: ... >> Andrew Taylor ... I'd say "Can I speak to John?". ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Can I say "Is John here?"
    ... > Jim Lawton wrote: ... "Speak with" is not much used in BrE. ... "Speak to" doesn't sound even slightly impolite to a British ear. ... possibilities: "Is John there? ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Can I say "Is John here?"
    ... Andrew Taylor wrote: ... > Harvey Van Sickle wrote: ... >>> I dial to my friend, John, and I want to speak to him. ... Could I speak with John? ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Can I say "Is John here?"
    ... >Andrew Taylor wrote: ... >> which always seems a pointless question to me... ... >Could I speak with John? ... If you're calling a number at which you've been *told* John may be found, ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: How to pronounce Gawd?
    ... Jim Lawton wrote: ... >>>Well speak as a relative newcomer, I've no idea what it means, but I'll try to ... Prev by Date: ...
    (alt.usage.english)