Does anybody still use the word “shall”? I don’t even remember the last time I heard it.
I do. It doesn’t come up often, but I do.
I still use it. I shall use it in this very post. 
Me! I shall often use it in general conversation. I like shall. And shan’t.
IIRC, in one of their rules revisions a few years ago, the US Golf Association replaced all instances of “shall” in the rulebook with “must”.
Same here…shall and shan’t are part of my everyday vocabulary.
Some find it odd, but I compensate by making sure to use “bizatch” a lot as well.
I like to use shall and shan’t.
In response to things like “Cyn, are you going to change that IV?”
I grandly answer “I shall.”
Seldom does my LVN throw rocks at me.
Not only are shall and shan’t both actively a part of my vocabulary, my children use them and have no idea that they might be in the least bit uncommon.
‘May’ ‘Should’ and ‘Shall’ are important words in many documents, particularly when those documents pertain to worker behavior where safety is concerned.
I use “shall” too.
I use “shall” at times, as in ‘Shall we go?’
But “shan’t” strikes me as a bit pretentious, unless it’s done tongue-in-cheek in response to someone using “shall.”
Sorry, maybe it’s just me.
Not to worry Panache, I don’t recall using it, and when I here anyone using it outside of the legal arena I think “dork”.
I also use the word “shall,” but only when asking a question and usually when I am trying to be polite. “Shall I answer his question, or would you prefer to?” “Shall I go first?” “Shall I get us a table right now, or do you want to wait until Joe gets here?” Times like that. Shan’t sounds strange to me.
Shall/Shall Not/Shan’t are imperative words. They’re quite useful.
Should/ shouldn’t/ should not/ Will/ wouldn’t/ would not/ are good and more usual. They are quite 21st century as well.
LEET-Speak is also very 21st Century. There’s nothing wrong with using old words. Should lacks the imperative force of a properly deployed shall. The will form of would can be forceful as well.
Me thinks thou doth protest too much.
Sure old words are fine, if you want to seem effete. Face it, absent special circumstances shall is not commonly used in spoken language. Sure sometimes it may be appropriate and sure some people use it, but I dare you to do a lexus search and see how often it is used.
I can’t think of any good reason why I should participate in the lowering of the use of the English language to its lowest common denominator. Or, more succinctly, so what?
IIRC shall and will aren’t interchangeable. “Will” implies intention, it implies a choice with a will behind it (if you will), as in “I will call you tomorrow”. “Shall” implies no choice, as in “If it rains during my walk I shall get wet”. Which means that McArthur’s (it was he, wasn’t it?) famous “I shall return!” should have bee “I will return”.
At least, in the first persons singular and plural this is the case. In the second and third persons, these senses reverse.
This is how I remember it. Anybody know different? Maybe I’ll look it up when I’m not racing to beat SDMB’s timeout.
I see it all the time in standards documents. It’s a very useful word. Since when is a comprehensive vocabulary effete?