Double modal

[Scot LaFaive]

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
> >> >>
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