Double modal

[Paul Johnson]

Just as there were "race" movies in the thirties and forties there were
"country" or southern movies, usually cowboy, some singing that never
played in a big city.  These films were packed with  corn pone dialect.
Occasionally you can see one on the Western cable channel.

Jonathan Lighter wrote:

>When I heard my first "might could," I felt confused and disoriented. It was almost as bad as my first positive "anymore."  (Or, or very different reasons, my first "Sir.")
>
>  I doubt that any double modal appeared in a movie before the ' 70s - if then.
>
>  JL
>
>
>
>Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at OHIO.EDU> wrote:
>  ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>Sender: American Dialect Society
>Poster: Beverly Flanigan
>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
>>>Poster: Scot LaFaive
>>>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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>>>
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>>>
>>>
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