Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. The word "please" is just as likely to be used for pressure as it is for politeness. (Getty Images) (Goran13 via Getty Images) ...

But a new study on the ways people make requests of one another suggests that "please" might not be an all-purpose marker of politeness, but rather a more focused, strategic tool to manage frictions ...

*Refers to the latest 2 years of stltoday.com stories. Cancel anytime. Dear Miss Manners • Why must one say “please” with “May I have a glass of water?” It sounds like begging; it is begging. If I ...

A new study by UCLA sociologists found that using the word “please” does not always indicate respect or politeness. In the study, “please” was used only 7% of the time, mostly when there was an ...