Hello,
First of all I don’t really get the actual meaning of “please”. I understand it as it used to make a polite request. However I have rarely seen any westerner saying “please” on either Lemmy, Mastodon or IRC. where I live using “please” (मेहरबानी) is used often.
- stealth_cookies ( @stealth_cookies@lemmy.ca ) 36•2 months ago
“Please” is used more in verbal or formal communication in English. I wouldn’t typically use it when writing a comment here as online comment sections are considered informal written communication. But I would always say it if I was asking a food service worker for something.
- randomperson ( @randomperson@lemmy.today ) English31•2 months ago
We say it out loud a lot. People seem to remember to be polite when not anonymous.
- Melllvar ( @charonn0@startrek.website ) English26•2 months ago
“Please” is short for “if it pleases you” or “if you please”. It’s used to turn a command into a request. It’s probably not used on Lemmy, etc. because we’re not requesting things of each other a lot.
- communism ( @communism@lemmy.ml ) 12•2 months ago
It’s probably not used on Lemmy, etc. because we’re not requesting things of each other a lot.
Speak for yourself please. Make me a sandwich please
- ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝 ( @Emperor@feddit.uk ) English18•2 months ago
Online discourse tends not to be the kind of place (in the English-speaking world) where “please” is the appropriate response.
- yads ( @yads@lemmy.ca ) 18•2 months ago
People say it in person a lot. Another factor might be that some people view it coming across as either non genuine or passive aggressive in written form.
- angel ( @angel@lemmy.ml ) 14•2 months ago
I rarely use ‘seldom’
- ℕ𝕖𝕞𝕠 ( @Nemo@midwest.social ) 11•2 months ago
I only use it in writing when making direct requests. I say it quite often.
- Call me Lenny/Leni ( @shinigamiookamiryuu@lemm.ee ) English9•2 months ago
And you’re sure your criteria includes Canadians?
- LordPassionFruit ( @LordPassionFruit@lemm.ee ) 4•2 months ago
Honestly. I genuinely have to fight to not say please and thank you.
- BearOfaTime ( @BearOfaTime@lemm.ee ) 9•2 months ago
They do/don’t?
Gonna need a source for this claim.
- CrimeDad ( @CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work ) English9•2 months ago
Gonna need a source for this claim, please.
- OsaErisXero ( @OsaErisXero@kbin.run ) 1•2 months ago
They were not asking
- CrimeDad ( @CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work ) English1•2 months ago
Indeed. That’s why I didn’t also add a question mark.
- Umbrias ( @Umbrias@beehaw.org ) 2•2 months ago
Need is directly in opposition to please. This makes your addition an ironic use of please, and not a polite one, which actually fits the ops observation better than the initial comment did.
- CrimeDad ( @CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work ) English2•2 months ago
Maybe in some cases, but in this case the use of “need” is insincere in the first place. A please at the end softens and adds a little bit of humility to what was originally a somewhat hostile response.
- people_are_cute ( @people_are_cute@lemmy.sdf.org ) 9•2 months ago
where I live using “please” (मेहरबानी) is used often.
Bro where tf are you living 😂
I’m Indian too and have never come across anyone unironically using that word in daily conversations
It’s used mostly by strangers TBH, not by someone I already know.
- Aussiemandeus ( @Aussiemandeus@aussie.zone ) 7•2 months ago
In Australia in the aboriginal culture I was raised in, there is no word for please. We never used it growing up
We have a ward for thank you mah,
We say thank you but if you have something and can give it and someone asks you are obliged to provide.
In today’s world this causes many problems with money etc though.
- makingStuffForFun ( @makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml ) 5•2 months ago
Please let me know, how you know, they are westerners?
- Arfman ( @Arfman@aussie.zone ) 5•2 months ago
Not a westerner but after moving to Australia, took me a while to get used to using please. It’s not common where I’m from lol
- electric_nan ( @electric_nan@lemmy.ml ) 3•2 months ago
Rusty on my reading of devanagari-- is that pronounced like “meharbaanii”?
Yes, that’s correct.
- some_guy ( @some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org ) 3•2 months ago
I use it constantly in the real world. Not on Lemmy. But I consider this to be pretty informal.
I also deliberately say “I beg your pardon,” instead of “Excuse me.” The former is a request. The latter is mostly a demand, at least in the USA the way people behave.