LL-L "Grammar" 2012.11.02 (01) [EN]

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 L O W L A N D S - L - 02 November 2012 - Volume 01
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From: Brooks, Mark mark.brooks at twc.state.tx.us

Subject: LL-L "Grammar" 2012.11.01 (04) [EN]

Mike wrote: In North America anyway, such double modal constructions "are
uniquely Southern"…



I grew up in Texas to parents from Tennessee. The double modal is normal to
me, and I didn’t even know it was different until I took some linguistic
classes in college.



I hear others use double modals often around here, but I’d say their use
seems to be declining. However, that decline is not due to me! I use them
whenever I can J.



To me there’s a nuance to double modals that isn’t expressed with one or
the other by itself. In other words, “I might could do that” is a shade
different from either “I might do that” or “I could do that.” It’s a bit
more likely that I will do something when I say “might could” than when I
say “might.” To say “I might” means there’s a probability. To say “I could”
means there’s a possibility. To say “I might could” means there’s both, and
it’s more than likely.


Mark Brooks

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