# On the Niceties of Asking For what You Want (was Re: Want some information....) **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [May 12, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/on-the-niceties-of-asking-for-what-you-want-was-re-want-some-information/167790 "2009-05-12T15:20:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rykkers)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/on-the-niceties-of-asking-for-what-you-want-was-re-want-some-information/167790/1 "2009-05-12T15:20:14Z")
On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 8:59 AM, Robert K. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > 2009/5/12 Arun K. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > > > I want to know about authentication in ruby. Is it possible to scrap > > html of those sites which require basic authentication. > > I am not a native speaker but for all I know “want” is considered > impolite among English speaking people. I wouldn’t say so. To want carries the same basic connotation as vouloir in French, I don’t know that je veut, or je voudrais is more impolite than say j’aimerais and I’d think that the average native English speaker would consider both I want, or I would like to be socially acceptable expressions of a desire for something. If we are talking about faux amis, one of the tricky French-English ones is demander, which translates properly in English to “to ask” whereas do demand in English means something more like exiger in French, and would probably be perceived as a step up the rudeness scale. – Rick DeNatale Blog: [http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/](http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/) Twitter: [http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale](http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale) WWR: [http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale](http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale) LinkedIn: [http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenatale](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenatale) ---
**Author:** ![rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rykkers)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/on-the-niceties-of-asking-for-what-you-want-was-re-want-some-information/167790/2 "2009-05-12T16:22:39Z")
On 12 May 2009, at 14:19, Rick DeNatale wrote: > I wouldn’t say so. To want carries the same basic connotation as > vouloir in French, I don’t know that je veut, or je voudrais is more > impolite than say j’aimerais and I’d think that the average native > English speaker would consider both I want, or I would like to be > socially acceptable expressions of a desire for something. I can only speak from a British perspective, but ‘want’ does sound slightly too demanding compared to ‘need’ or ‘like’ in this context. A more natural (and oblique) phrasing would be along the lines of 'I was wondering if anyone knows how to handle authentication in Ruby?" which cares much less of an emotional subtext than the more direct approach. > If we are talking about faux amis, one of the tricky French-English > ones is demander, which translates properly in English to “to ask” > whereas do demand in English means something more like exiger in > French, and would probably be perceived as a step up the rudeness > scale. The only people in England who routinely use ‘demand’ tend to be very disgruntled retired army officers and the representatives of trade unions 😉 Ellie ## Eleanor McHugh Games With Brains [http://slides.games-with-brains.net](http://slides.games-with-brains.net) raise ArgumentError unless @reality.responds\_to? :reason ---
**Author:** ![rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rykkers)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/on-the-niceties-of-asking-for-what-you-want-was-re-want-some-information/167790/3 "2009-05-12T17:48:12Z")
On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 10:21 AM, Eleanor McHugh [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > I am not a native speaker but for all I know “want” is considered > > > (and oblique) phrasing would be along the lines of 'I was wondering if > > > anyone knows how to handle authentication in Ruby?" which cares much less of > > > an emotional subtext than the more direct approach. Fair enough, but may have the temerity to suggest that civility would best be preserved if we follow at least the part of Postel’s law about being liberal in what we accept, particularly in a ‘place’ frequented by a mix of American’s, Brit’s, other native ‘English’ speakers, and non-native speakers who have various ideas/knowledge of what’s proper/conservative to produce. – Rick DeNatale Blog: [http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/](http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/) Twitter: [http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale](http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale) WWR: [http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale](http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale) LinkedIn: [http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenatale](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenatale) ---
**Author:** ![rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rykkers)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/on-the-niceties-of-asking-for-what-you-want-was-re-want-some-information/167790/4 "2009-05-12T18:26:27Z")
On 12 May 2009, at 16:47, Rick DeNatale wrote: > > an emotional subtext than the more direct approach. > > Fair enough, but may have the temerity to suggest that civility would > best be preserved if we follow at least the part of Postel’s law about > being liberal in what we accept, particularly in a ‘place’ frequented > by a mix of American’s, Brit’s, other native ‘English’ speakers, and > non-native speakers who have various ideas/knowledge of what’s > proper/conservative to produce. Oh definitely. Ellie ## Eleanor McHugh Games With Brains [http://slides.games-with-brains.net](http://slides.games-with-brains.net) raise ArgumentError unless @reality.responds\_to? :reason ---
**Author:** ![rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rykkers)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/on-the-niceties-of-asking-for-what-you-want-was-re-want-some-information/167790/5 "2009-05-12T20:32:39Z")
On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 3:19 PM, Rick DeNatale [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > vouloir in French, I don’t know that je veut, or je voudrais is more > impolite than say j’aimerais and I’d think that the average native > English speaker would consider both I want, or I would like to be > socially acceptable expressions of a desire for something. > Let us see, you just enter the boulangerie and are in front of a very > charming lady half your age, I really cannot imagine someone saying > “je veux”, this is really inaceptable and I have never heard it. “Je voudrais” is fine of course, “je souhaiterais” is very beautiful. I was very shocked by “I want”, but I am notoriously sensible (c.f. Lazy Bastard thread). And this is the real reason I am so picky with your French here, you did _not_ support me in that thread, any excuses ;))) Seriously, it is very important to know for Rubiests how to get des croissants, pains aux chocolat, brioches ou encore des chaussons pommes… when in France ou au Québec (ou avez-vous d’autres spécialités) I guess I should start preparing dinner… > If we are talking about faux amis, one of the tricky French-English > ones is demander, which translates properly in English to “to ask” > whereas do demand in English means something more like exiger in > French, and would probably be perceived as a step up the rudeness > scale. > Well as we are already OT here, I prefer true enemies aux faux amis ;). Demander is very strong indeed, it is the police who “demande les personnes de sortir”. But always consider the context 😉 “Pourrais-je vous demander un service, Madame.” Very polite indeed. Cheers Robert > – > Rick DeNatale > > Blog: [http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/](http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/) > Twitter: [http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale](http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale) > WWR: [http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale](http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale) > LinkedIn: [http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenatale](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenatale) – Si tu veux construire un bateau … Ne rassemble pas des hommes pour aller chercher du bois, préparer des outils, répartir les tâches, alléger le travail… mais enseigne aux gens la nostalgie de l’infini de la mer. If you want to build a ship, don’t herd people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. ---
**Author:** ![rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rykkers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rykkers)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/on-the-niceties-of-asking-for-what-you-want-was-re-want-some-information/167790/6 "2009-05-12T18:54:00Z")
I wonder how much of this discussion is colored by the poster’s history 🙂 Jayanth On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 9:55 PM, Eleanor McHugh \<