Might I vs. May I vs. Can I

[royl]

Might I vs. May I vs. Can I

Question (问题)
Can you use "Might I ask...?" to ask a question? — bryan, South Africa
你可以使用"Might I ask...?"来问一个问题吗?

Answer (韦氏字典英语语言学习出版总监Jane Mairs女士解答)
"Might I..." is used to ask permission or to make a suggestion in a very formal and polite way.
"Might I..."是用于以非常正式和礼貌的态度来询求许可或提出建议.

Might I see your credit card, please?
我可以看一下您的信用卡吗, 拜託?
Might I recommend the grilled swordfish?
我可以推荐烧烤旗鱼吗?
Might I remind you that this is a library? (an extremely formal and critical way of asking someone to be quiet)
我可以提醒您这裡是图书馆吗? (这是一句极為正式与批评方式来要求某人保持安静)

Might I ask... is used to ask permission to ask a question, so it is very polite indeed:
"Might I ask..."是用于询求许可来问问题, 因此它确实是非常礼貌:
Might I ask how you heard about our company?
我可以问您是如何得知我们公司吗?

There are two other verbs that can be used for the same function as might, but without conveying such extreme formality: may and can. May I is similar to might I and is used in many of the same contexts, but it is less formal. It is also much more common than might I.
其他还有两个动词可以用于与might同样的功能, 但不表达如此强烈的正式礼节: 它们是may和can. "May I"跟"might I"相似并且使用于许多相同的语境, 但并不像might那么极端正式. "May I"也比"might I"要常用得多了.

May I see your driver’s license?
我可以看一下你的驾照吗?
May I help you?
需要我帮忙吗?
May I offer you something to drink?
我可以拿个饮料给你喝吗?

Can I is the least formal of the three, as shown in these examples:
Can I是叁者最不正式的用法, 请看以下例句:

Might I call you by your first name? (very formal)
我可以用你的名字称唿你吗? (非常正式)
May I call you Elizabeth? (formal)
我可以称唿你伊丽莎白吗? (正式)
Can I call you Liz? (infomal)
我可以称唿你丽兹吗? (不正式)

来源: http://www.learnersdictionary.com/qa/Qu ... uggestions

译者按: Jane Mairs女士是位美国籍的英语专家, 她的意见是反映大多数美国人对英语的使用方法. 有部分英国人士认為"May I...?"与"Might I...?"是正确用法而对于使用"Can I...?"非常反感并认為它是错误的用法. 译者没有别的意思, 只是反映英美两国人士对某一英语用法的意见.