Please have this

[hirashin]

Hello, native English speakers.

I have a small question.
(a) Please have this.
(b) Please eat this.
(c) Please drink this.

Can you say (a) meaning (b) or (c)?

Hirashin

 

[OoTmaster]

Short answer would be yes. I think however it would normally be stated "Please take this.", normally in a situation where the speaker holds the food/drink that's being talked about.

 

[hirashin]

Thank you for the help, OoTmaster. The verb "take" has a lot of meanings. In that situation, wouldn't the verb "take" be understood differently?

Hirashin

 

[OoTmaster]

It's the 8th meaning that I found on dictionary.reference.com. Take: to receive or be the recipient of (something bestowed, administered, etc.). In this case you are the giver (bestow-er) and the other party is the receiver (of the thing bestowed). I did see 126 definitions listed with different usage of the word take so I understand how this would be difficult to understand.

 

[OoTmaster]

If you would like to use the word have it would sound more natural to say something like, "Here you can have this." if you would like to have please in there you can say something like "Here you can have this, if you please." that implies they are free to decline if they do not want it though.

 

[WonkoTheSane]

Hello, native English speakers.

I have a small question.
(a) Please have this.
(b) Please eat this.
(c) Please drink this.

Can you say (a) meaning (b) or (c)?

Hirashin

I have to disagree. If someone gave me food or drink and simply said "Please have this" I'd find it very odd. If they said "Please have some wine" it would be fine.

Of course I'd also find it odd if someone gave me food or drink and said "Please eat this" or "Please drink this". It's just not a natural turn of phrase in my opinion.

 

[hirashin]

Thank you for the help, Wonko. How about "Please take this" ?

 

[WonkoTheSane]

Thank you for the help, Wonko. How about "Please take this" ?

For food or drink?

It would be strange. It feels too much like an imperative instead of an offer.

 

[mdchachi]

Hello, native English speakers.

I have a small question.
(a) Please have this.
(b) Please eat this.
(c) Please drink this.

Can you say (a) meaning (b) or (c)?

Hirashin

Yes. It's acceptable. As others have said, "Please have this" sounds somewhat odd yet "Please have some" sounds perfectly natural.