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He might come. or he may come

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Latest post Sun, Oct 8 2006 8:09 AM by milky. 72 replies.
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Shafqat  +  270420 Thu, 21 Sep 06 03:21 PM
    what is difference between these two sentences
    He might come. or he may come .
       thanks
Shafqat
Joined on Tue, Sep 12 2006
New Member 19
Marius Hancu, 3 yr 62 days ago
More doubt with might.
Related discussions
Philip  +  270458 Thu, 21 Sep 06 04:37 PM
 Shafqat wrote:
    what is difference between these two sentences
    He might come. or he may come .
       thanks
I don't "feel" any difference.  In fact, I heard someone say not long ago, "He may be there, but then again he might not".  I noticed it only because of her use of both words.
Philip
Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005
Veteran Member 8,733
At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen
Marius Hancu  +  270464 Thu, 21 Sep 06 04:46 PM

From a lawyer's site (they are careful with the language ....)
---
Q: Is there any difference in the meanings of may and might, as in "I may go," and "I might go"?

A: In the two examples the correspondent provided, may and might are often used interchangeably. But they are not exact synonyms; The word might is somewhat less definite than may, sometimes expressing a greater degree of doubt.

In addition, both may and might contain meanings apart from "possibility," which is their meaning in the examples the reader submitted. May indicates permission rather than possibility in the context "May I go?" May also sometimes expresses purpose, as in, "Write so that the average person may understand." This usage is old-fashioned, however; currently the word can is more often used in this context.

Might expresses a condition contrary to fact in constructions like, "She might be here if she had received your letter in time." It is also infrequently used to express polite deference, in a question like, "Might I add a word here?"

As a substandard southernism, might appears in constructions like, "I might could do that." The standard English version of that statement would be, "I might be able to do that," a more cumbersome way of expressing ability.

http://www.illinoisbar.org/Association/0110-15g.htm
Marius Hancu
,
milky, 3 yr 62 days ago
Less doubt with may.
CalifJim  +  270681 Fri, 22 Sep 06 08:19 AM
I don't "feel" any difference.

I don't either, but apparently many do.  (Or they've convinced themselves they do by hearing the same thing repeated over and over again in the textbooks!)
To me, in the "maybe" meaning, may is in a slightly higher register than might, but otherwise has the same meaning.  I agree with most of the discussion on the lawyers' website, however.

CJ
CalifJim
Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member 22,383
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
milky  +  270687 Fri, 22 Sep 06 08:47 AM

<(Or they've convinced themselves they do by hearing the same thing repeated over and over again in the textbooks!)>

Not at all. Why do you think there are two forms? Are they synonyms? And if so, why?

Modals follow the same pattern as any other verb in English regarding, Time, Relationship and Possibility or Likelihood (my caps). What are traditionally called the present forms are used for close time, close relationships and close possibility/likelihood. What are traditionally called the past forms are used for distance in time, distance in relationships and distance regarding possibility/likelihood.

Traditionally, it is said that "might" is more polite than "may", but what does polite mean there? It means that with uses of "might" we can imply, express or create more social distance than with "may".

EG Might/May I help you? (Interesting to note that the version with "might" is more often found accompanied by "sir" than "may" is.)

The same with:

Will it rain tomorrow?

It might/may.

There, "might" signal less likelihood of rain in the mind of the speaker

Non-modally:

In the clothes shop:

Do you want to try that dress on?

Did you want to try that dress on?

Why do you think there are two forms there?

Other modals:

Can you help me, please? (Closeness, or less distance, in social relationship/closeness in possibility)

Could you help me please? (Distance, or less closeness, in social relationship/distance in possibility. More tentative.)

It has been that way for centuries. Long before EFL textbooks as we know them today were invented.

Tongue Tied [:S]
milky
, ,
CalifJim  +  270716 Fri, 22 Sep 06 10:03 AM
Might/May I help you? (Interesting to note that the version with "might" is more often found accompanied by "sir" than "may" is.)

These, and most of the other examples in your most recent post, are not the "maybe" kind of may/might.
I don't disagree with those comments.

I was only talking about the "maybe" meaning of may/might.  And what I said may be applicable only to AmE.

Will it rain tomorrow?
It might/may.
There, "might" signal less likelihood of rain in the mind of the speaker

No.  Not in my mind when I am the speaker.  (Apparently, not in Philip's mind either.)  So this can't be universally true.  Truth be told, upon more introspection, I don't believe I ever use may in speaking, reserving it for (the more formal context of) writing.  Hence, my remark that may is more formal than might in its "maybe" meaning.

CJ
CalifJim
milky  +  270727 Fri, 22 Sep 06 10:37 AM

<These, and most of the other examples in your most recent post, are not the "maybe" kind of may/might.>

It doesn't matter if it is most or not. I also gave an example of the "maybe" mind. That example is not an exception, IMO. It works the same for all uses of "may/might". The distinctions between many modals are fast disappearing in AmEng. I think that is a rather unfortunate situation, but that's life. BrEng is also being affected (infected ;-))by such changes, but as  far as I know, the may/might distinction, in all uses, remains noticeable in BrEng. Mr P would probably spend 30 or so posts taking me to task on that statement though, so check with him.
milky
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