Smallwhite needs help with English expressions

[rdearman]

Also.. haiku challenge.. need I say more? Who's in?

He got your there!

[reineke]

But then I'm new to Dialang. Reineke writes better analysis and advice.

That was me hoping you would cover areas I didn't want to go into, and you did not disappoint:

That writing sample was awful.

I do love a good turkey.

[smallwhite]

"Feel free to..."

I thought this expression was only to invite the listener to do what the listener wants:
"Feel free to eat as much as you like".

But I see people using it to request the listener to do what the speaker wants:
"Feel free to help me".

Which usage is correct, or both?

Thanks.

[Adrianslont]

"Feel free to..."

I thought this expression was only to invite the listener to do what the listener wants:
"Feel free to eat as much as you like".

But I see people using it to request the listener to do what the speaker wants:
"Feel free to help me".

Which usage is correct, or both?

Thanks.

Both are used/fine/“correct”. I interpret the second one as sarcasm - the listener was slow to offer help. I think the popular sarcastic use of this expression is a relatively recent thing ie last decade or two.

If people are using the second example NON-sarcastically, that’s new to me.

[smallwhite]

If people are using the second example NON-sarcastically, that’s new to me.

That's what I've been seeing:
"Feel free to correct my English/French/etc".

Thanks for the answer!

[tcl]

I think the assumption in the "help me" expression above--at least my assumption--is that "feel free to..." means "don't be inhibited by considerations of politeness; you won't offend me." Of course, it could be used sarcastically or otherwise, but it doesn't strike me as inherently sarcastic by any means.

[Adrianslont]

If people are using the second example NON-sarcastically, that’s new to me.

That's what I've been seeing:
"Feel free to correct my English/French/etc".

Thanks for the answer!

Ah, I know that correcting somone’s language mistakes is helping them BUT if you had given that specific example, my answer would have been different, I wouldn’t have called sarcasm. In that specific example, like tcl, i would say it means “you won’t offend me.”
I thought you meant using the exact words, “Feel free to help me” which might be said non sarcastically but I have only heard used sarcastically.

[smallwhite]

Got it! Thank you both.

[smallwhite]

I think you can answer people like this when you don't want to state your reasons:

A: Why didn't you go?
B: Because.

Question: You can also answer like this, can't you?

A: Why didn't you go?
B: Reasons.

Thanks!

[Jim]

I think you can answer people like this when you don't want to state your reasons:

A: Why didn't you go?
B: Because.

It’s not so much that you don’t want to state your reasons, but rather you don’t have any real reason. It makes me think of George Mallory’s response to the question why he wanted to climb Mount Everest: “because it’s there”.

Question: You can also answer like this, can't you?

A: Why didn't you go?
B: Reasons.

Thanks!

I’ve not come across this before, but that could well be my age. It doesn’t sound wrong, but it does sound (to my ears) like something a teenager could well say to their parents!