Double modal

Dennis R. Preston preston at MSU.EDU
Thu Dec 28 20:39:53 UTC 2006


Beverly,

I was fixin' to out you, but you did it your own self. Don't you feel
better now that the fact that you're a Minnesotan is out in the open?

dInIs

>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at OHIO.EDU>
>Subject:      Re: Double modal
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>It's not native to me either; I'm a Minnesotan originally!
>
>At 02:46 PM 12/28/2006, you wrote:
>>Sorry, I was just joking. There is nothing wrong with the double modal
>>construction. It's just not used around here and I would say most
>>Wisconsinites don't have it as part of their grammar (that's what I mean
>>when I say "ungrammatical" for us). It's perfectly grammatical for others,
>>such as yourself, since it is part of your grammar. I still say that most
>>people around here get confused by double modals because they don't exist in
>>their grammars and they are very foreign. Everyone I've talked to (not just
>>questioned) around here seems to consider double modals semantically
>>unintelligible, or at least confusing. It's just odd for us to use two
>>modals like "might" and "could" together in a clause.
>>Double modals are ok with me. Don't worry, I am not following in the
>>footsteps Mr. Z here.
>>
>>Scot
>>
>>
>>>From: Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at OHIO.EDU>
>>>Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>>>Subject: Re: Double modal
>>>Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:30:03 -0500
>>>
>>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>>-----------------------
>>>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>>Poster:       Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at OHIO.EDU>
>>>Subject:      Re: Double modal
>>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>Or do they stop to think about it only because you raise the issue?  I
>>>don't see how it could be "unintelligible," and it's certainly not
>>>"ungrammatical" to native users.  "All bad"--what does that mean???
>>>
>>>At 02:06 PM 12/28/2006, you wrote:
>>>  >I don't know. Most fellow Northerners that I ask about the double modal
>>>  >construction seem to stop and scratch their heads when hearing it. At
>>>least
>>>  >around here in Wisconsin it is quite noticeable and nearly unintelligible
>>>  >(to us anyway). I've spent some time studying them recently and they
>>>still
>>>  >seem ungrammatical to my internal dialect. But I figure if Lee Majors
>>>uses
>>>  >them, they can't be all bad, can they?
>>>  >
>>>  >Scot
>>>  >
>>>  >
>>>  >>From: Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at OHIO.EDU>
>>>  >>Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>>  >>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>>>  >>Subject: Re: Double modal
>>>  >>Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2006 13:49:49 -0500
>>>  >>
>>>  >>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>>  >>-----------------------
>>>  >>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>>  >>Poster:       Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at OHIO.EDU>
>>>  >>Subject:      Re: Double modal
>>>  >>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>  --------
>>>  >>
>>>  >>I'm not sure it's that noticeable, or off-putting, to Northerners.  A
>>>  >>similar "double" is the Southern double complementizer "like that," as
>>>in
>>>  >>"It seems like that we're in a mess in Iraq."  I made that up, but
>>>Southern
>>>  >>Congressmen are heard using the form often--as would any normal
>>>Southerner,
>>>  >>of course.
>>>  >>
>>>  >>At 01:19 PM 12/28/2006, you wrote:
>>>  >> >Is that the same species as one of Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a
>>>  >> >redneck..." shibboleths,
>>>  >> >
>>>  >> >         _I used t' could'a'_
>>>  >> >
>>>  >> >?
>>>  >> >
>>>  >> >-jk
>>>  >> >
>>>  >> >At 09:35 AM 12/28/2006, Scot LaFaive wrote:
>>>  >> >>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>>  >> >>-----------------------
>>>  >> >>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>  >> >> >>Poster:       Scot LaFaive <spiderrmonkey at HOTMAIL.COM>
>>>  >> >>Subject:      Double modal
>>>  >>
>>>  >>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>  >> --------
>>>  >> >>
>>>  >> >>This weekend, while suffering through "Smoky Mountain Christmas"
>>>  >>starring
>>>  >> >>Lee Majors and Dolly Parton, I heard Lee Majors' character use a
>>>double
>>>  >> >>modal ("might could"). This isn't thrilling (esp. considering that at
>>>  >>least
>>>  >> >>one of writers is from the South as is Lee Majors), but it did stand
>>>out
>>>  >>a
>>>  >> >>little. I was surprised that a cheesy, feel-good, mass market movie
>>>  >>would
>>>  >> >>use a double modal that might frighten the Northerners.
>>>  >> >>Just thought it was worth noting.
>>>  >> >>
>>>  >> >>Scot
>>>  >> >>
>>>  >> >>_________________________________________________________________
>>>  >> >>The MSN Entertainment Guide to Golden Globes is here.  Get all the
>>>  >>scoop.
>>>  >> >>http://tv.msn.com/tv/globes2007/
>>>  >> >>
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--
It should be the chief aim of a university professor to exhibit
himself in his own true character - that is, as an ignorant man [sic]
thinking, actively utilizing his small share of knowledge. Alfred
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There are many different religions in this world, but if you look at
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Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of English
15-C Morrill Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1036
Phone: (517) 353-4736
Fax: (517) 353-3755
preston at msu.edu

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