my what?
"Can I help who's next?" WTF

Is it really that hard to say "who's next?" or "may I help you?" or even "May I help the next person?"

Or maybe it's "Can I help whose next?" in which case WTF is a "next?"
(ras, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 20:46, 4 replies)

I detect a semi colon deficiency...
Consider, if you will:

"Can I help; who's next?"
( fluffymitten NAN, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 22:37, closed)

Yes, that would work, but that would imply a pause between "can I help" and "who's next". I've never heard one. It's the phrase as it's currently used that I object to, not the phrase as it might exist if it were said differently.

But thanks for the suggestion, maybe I'll pass it on to the next person who says this to me. Hope you don't mind if I wait until *after* I get my fries.
(ras, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 23:35, closed)

maybe
...it's an abbrieviation of 'whoever', as in 'can I help whoever's next'.

Or it could just be a fail.
(Le Misanthrope last procrastinated on, Fri 9 Apr 2010, 0:08, closed)

Can I help? Who's next?

( disasterprone "Pyjamas caused the Holocaust", Fri 9 Apr 2010, 8:33, closed)