Double modal

[Scot LaFaive]

Good point. I think if a double modal was used in conversation with the
people I'm thinking of there would be recognition of something different,
but they would probably know the general meaning of what was said based on
context. It appears I was thinking metalinguistically at how someone
semantically analyzes something like a double modal and can't quite grasp
the native meaning/grammar/etc.

Scot


>From: Alice Faber <faber at HASKINS.YALE.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 15:28:39 -0500
>
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Alice Faber <faber at HASKINS.YALE.EDU>
>Organization: Haskins Laboratories
>Subject:      Re: Double modal
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>When you say that folks in your area find double modals confusing and
>even unintelligible, is that in response to a direct question? If so,
>that just means they can't deal with them metalinguistically. However,
>if you have "in the wild" observations of actual confusion brought about
>by a speaker's using a double modal construction, that would be
>interesting indeed.
>
>
>--
>======================================================================
>Alice Faber                                     faber at haskins.yale.edu
>Haskins Laboratories                          tel: (203) 865-6163 x258
>New Haven, CT 06511 USA                             fax (203) 865-8963
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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