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I've recently started using the expression 頂ければと思います, but I'm not 100% sure
about its precise nuance.

Is there any difference in nuance between

  * 頂ければと思います
  * 頂けませんか
  * 頂きたいんですけども?

To my non-native ear, the first feels formal, the second very standard and the
third a tad more casual. Apart for the difference in usage that would ensue,
is there any difference in directness (in the sense that ~を頂戴 is more direct
than ~を下さい)?
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2012-12-08T03:13:53.033
9717
2014-05-10T15:10:44.283
2013-03-09T13:06:09.293
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nuances politeness word-choice
Difference in nuance between 頂ければと思います, 頂けませんか, and 頂きたいんですけども
* ～て頂ければと思います comes from something like -te itadakereba (saiwai) to omoimasu (as far as I know). It's most certainly polite, but it does have an ellipsis in the middle, and that's not good, usually, in terms of politeness. It means "If you could just do～ (I would be glad/you would save me/etc.)"... so you're asking for a favor, but you don't really think the listener will say "no" as a reply.
  * ～て頂けませんか is (the most) polite and formal. It's still a real question, and this is really important, specially in terms of politeness.
  * ～て頂きたいんですけども isn't a question and you have "n-desu kedo", explicative form, plus a contraction (that I really don't like because of gaaru's way of speaking... but this is a matter of personal preference). At least I would use ...keredomo.

I'd use the first one with a coworker, the second one even with my boss, the
third one in different occasions (when I want to be polite, but not
particularly formal). At least this is the way I've always looked at these
expressions. I hope it helps.
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2012-12-12T14:48:15.400
9756
2012-12-12T14:48:15.400
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Chocolate's comment and Kokoroatari's answer explains most things.

I think the etymology itself might explain something.

> 頂ければ(幸いだ/大変有難い)と思います  
>  I would (appreciate it) if you could ...

れば sounds like a wish and can be used as a real wish rather than an indirect
request. e.g. 直ぐにまたお会いできればと思います / せめてみんながこれを信じることができれば.

> 頂けませんか  
>  Could you ...

ませんか is an explicit request, just softer than imperatives

> 頂きたいんですが、(お願いできませんか=頂けませんか)  
>  I wish you would ... (Could you ...)

～たいのですが is almost always followed by an explicit request, but it's omitted so
that it sounds a little softer and you expect the listener will understand
what you actually want to say.

I will rank the “directness” as: 頂ければと思います < 頂きたいんですが < 頂けませんか

* * *

けれども, けども, けれど and けど are much more causal than が. けども is more masculine, けれど
is more feminine, けれども and けど are neuter. が is the most common choice when you
are using keigo.
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2014-05-06T23:58:06.823
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straightness

頂けませんか > 頂ければと思います > 頂きたいんですけども? > 頂ければ幸いです

euphemistic expression seems correlate to politeness.
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2014-05-10T15:10:44.283
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