he might well could of

[Paul Frank]

Reading Cormac McCarthy's All The Pretty Horse's I've just come across
the phrase "he might well could of." The phrase gets a single googlit,
from McCarthy's book. "He might well could have" yields zero hits. So
I'm asking myself: I presume that McCarthy has an ear for the language
as she is spoke, or was spoke, in the places and times where he sets
his books. How come "might well could of" (without the "he" in front)
gets zero hits, as does "he might well could of"? "Might well could
of" yields eight hits. Is it because it's pretty much a nonce phrase?
Or because it's the sort of phrase no one writes down?

Here's the passage:

"You think he really done that?
Yeah. I think probably he did.
John Grady nodded. He might well could of."

Cormac McCarthy, All The Pretty Horses, Kindle edition, 31% into the book.

I just love that "might well could of."

And by way of a lagniappe, or thanks, for picking your learned brains,
here's another passage:

"His father smoked. He watched him.

You still seein that Barnett girl?

He shook his head.

She quit you or did you quit her?

I don't know.

That means she quit you.

Yeah.

His father nodded. He smoked."


Cheers,
Paul

Paul Frank
Translator
German, French, Italian > English
paulfrank at post.harvard.edu
paul.frank at bfs.admin.ch

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