"Can I help who's next?"

[Towse]

Alice Faber wrote:
>
> Mark A Mandel wrote:
> >And my daughter *also* wonders about "Can I help who's next?", which
> >only in the past 2-3 years has she heard in place of "Can I help
> >whoever's next?"
> >
> >(She's in graduate school; I'm working out of town; we spent some time
> >together today for the first time in over a month. With coffee. But I
> >figured it would be best for the list to separate the discussion
> >threads.)
>
> I first noticed this locution shortly after I moved to New Haven, almost 15
> years ago. It was used by all of the counter workers at the coffee joint
> closest to the lab.

Probably originated as a co-mingling of "Who's next?" "Can I help
you?"

Sal
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