Must / have to

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Diamondrg  #197113  Wed, 15 Feb 06 04:15 PM
As far as I know, "has to" is used to express internal obligations, and "must" for external ones. but I think this is too general a rule to explain all uses of them. some grammars say that in some situations both of them are acceptable. and there is also AmE and BrE difference.  

- Students in most countries must wear uniforms to school. ( not have to)

- I must tell her that her husband has been deceiving her. (here I think the speaker has an inner urge to tell that, so must is not acceptable)

am I right? can you clarify the point? which one expresses external obligation, and which one internal one?

  
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CalifJim  #197126  Wed, 15 Feb 06 04:44 PM
There are a thousand opinions on this, and the 'external/internal' interpretation has never appealed to me as a speaker of American English.

Students in most countries have to wear uniforms to school.

That sounds fine to me.

I have to tell her that her husband has been deceiving her.

That doesn't sound as good as "I must tell her ...", at least not in the reading intended, in my opinion.
This second one seems to me a special case of the usage of "must" -- something idiomatic, perhaps.  It's a must that isn't really a must.  This "must" is the "take a mental note" "must", as in, "You must come and visit us more often" or "I really must watch my language more carefully around the children".  Maybe we could even call this the "ought-must" or the "toothless-must", since it lacks any real force as an obligation.

In my experience and observation, Americans barely ever use the "must" of obligation -- only the "ought-must" discussed above at times, and a sort of "institutional rules" "must":  "Employees must report to work at 7 am"  But we do use "logical" "must" extremely often -- the one that means "The only possible conclusion is that ...".
In all cases, "have to" can and does substitute for "must", at least in ordinary conversation -- although much less so for "logical must".

CJ

  
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