Doesn't “I may/might possibly do something,” sound pleonastic?
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The question is to do with the expression of degrees of certainty:
modal auxiliary will expresses certainty, whereas modal auxiliary may/might expresses uncertainty, doubt;
"Someone may/might do something," is equivalent to "Perhaps/Maybe someone will do something."
So, this example sentence found in the online Cambridge Dictionary, under the entry possibly
I might possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
could be re-written as
Perhaps/Maybe I will possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
Which definitely sounds pleonastic!
modal-verbs intensifying-adverbs
edited Nov 17 at 17:27
Dan Bron
25.7k1186120
asked Oct 7 at 9:24
user58319
1,98772962
add a comment |
up vote
-2
down vote
favorite
The question is to do with the expression of degrees of certainty:
modal auxiliary will expresses certainty, whereas modal auxiliary may/might expresses uncertainty, doubt;
"Someone may/might do something," is equivalent to "Perhaps/Maybe someone will do something."
So, this example sentence found in the online Cambridge Dictionary, under the entry possibly
I might possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
could be re-written as
Perhaps/Maybe I will possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
Which definitely sounds pleonastic!
modal-verbs intensifying-adverbs
edited Nov 17 at 17:27
Dan Bron
25.7k1186120
asked Oct 7 at 9:24
user58319
1,98772962
1
Maybe, maybe not.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 12:32
@HotLicks: Irony has never solved any problem, has it?
– user58319
Oct 7 at 12:51
A sensibility for irony has solved many problems.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 13:06
add a comment |
up vote
-2
down vote
favorite
up vote
-2
down vote
favorite
The question is to do with the expression of degrees of certainty:
modal auxiliary will expresses certainty, whereas modal auxiliary may/might expresses uncertainty, doubt;
"Someone may/might do something," is equivalent to "Perhaps/Maybe someone will do something."
So, this example sentence found in the online Cambridge Dictionary, under the entry possibly
I might possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
could be re-written as
Perhaps/Maybe I will possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
Which definitely sounds pleonastic!
modal-verbs intensifying-adverbs
edited Nov 17 at 17:27
Dan Bron
25.7k1186120
asked Oct 7 at 9:24
user58319
1,98772962
The question is to do with the expression of degrees of certainty:
modal auxiliary will expresses certainty, whereas modal auxiliary may/might expresses uncertainty, doubt;
"Someone may/might do something," is equivalent to "Perhaps/Maybe someone will do something."
So, this example sentence found in the online Cambridge Dictionary, under the entry possibly
I might possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
could be re-written as
Perhaps/Maybe I will possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
Which definitely sounds pleonastic!
modal-verbs intensifying-adverbs
modal-verbs intensifying-adverbs
edited Nov 17 at 17:27
Dan Bron
25.7k1186120
asked Oct 7 at 9:24
user58319
1,98772962
edited Nov 17 at 17:27
Dan Bron
25.7k1186120
asked Oct 7 at 9:24
user58319
1,98772962
edited Nov 17 at 17:27
Dan Bron
25.7k1186120
edited Nov 17 at 17:27
Dan Bron
25.7k1186120
edited Nov 17 at 17:27
Dan Bron
25.7k1186120
25.7k1186120
asked Oct 7 at 9:24
user58319
1,98772962
asked Oct 7 at 9:24
user58319
1,98772962
asked Oct 7 at 9:24
user58319
1,98772962
1,98772962
1
Maybe, maybe not.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 12:32
@HotLicks: Irony has never solved any problem, has it?
– user58319
Oct 7 at 12:51
A sensibility for irony has solved many problems.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 13:06
add a comment |
1
Maybe, maybe not.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 12:32
@HotLicks: Irony has never solved any problem, has it?
– user58319
Oct 7 at 12:51
A sensibility for irony has solved many problems.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 13:06
1
1
Maybe, maybe not.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 12:32
Maybe, maybe not.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 12:32
@HotLicks: Irony has never solved any problem, has it?
– user58319
Oct 7 at 12:51
@HotLicks: Irony has never solved any problem, has it?
– user58319
Oct 7 at 12:51
A sensibility for irony has solved many problems.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 13:06
A sensibility for irony has solved many problems.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 13:06
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
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1
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For the sake of concision, the English language – which seems to abhor redundancy – ruthlessly downsizes any sentence:
He went out after he had put on his coat. (10 words)
As the two verbs have the same subject…
He went out after having put on his coat. (9 words)
As 'after' already 'does the job' of telling the reader/listener that the second action mentioned comes before the first, a 'perfect' verb form is not needed…
He went out after putting on his coat. (8 words)
Bingo!
But, when it comes to political correctness that same language is able to go to great lengths in the opposite direction: never hurt anyone who can hurt you back… that is, never hurt anyone as long as you are not certain that you have got the upper hand, and have got it finally!
So
I might possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
is not pleonastic at all: it makes the action of 'getting the job finished by the next evening' even more uncertain than it would have been had the person simply said 'I might get the job finished by tomorrow evening.' It is more cautious.
Similarly, the customer of a bookshop asking about a book the bookshop does not have in stock will be answered "I'm afraid we don't have it," - in 8 words instead of just 5 – to soften the blow a direct "We don't have it," would represent.
answered Oct 7 at 11:14
user58319
1,98772962
There I go again, seeming to rant and rave about a language… I love!
– user58319
Oct 7 at 11:28
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
For the sake of concision, the English language – which seems to abhor redundancy – ruthlessly downsizes any sentence:
He went out after he had put on his coat. (10 words)
As the two verbs have the same subject…
He went out after having put on his coat. (9 words)
As 'after' already 'does the job' of telling the reader/listener that the second action mentioned comes before the first, a 'perfect' verb form is not needed…
He went out after putting on his coat. (8 words)
Bingo!
But, when it comes to political correctness that same language is able to go to great lengths in the opposite direction: never hurt anyone who can hurt you back… that is, never hurt anyone as long as you are not certain that you have got the upper hand, and have got it finally!
So
I might possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
is not pleonastic at all: it makes the action of 'getting the job finished by the next evening' even more uncertain than it would have been had the person simply said 'I might get the job finished by tomorrow evening.' It is more cautious.
Similarly, the customer of a bookshop asking about a book the bookshop does not have in stock will be answered "I'm afraid we don't have it," - in 8 words instead of just 5 – to soften the blow a direct "We don't have it," would represent.
answered Oct 7 at 11:14
user58319
1,98772962
There I go again, seeming to rant and rave about a language… I love!
– user58319
Oct 7 at 11:28
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
For the sake of concision, the English language – which seems to abhor redundancy – ruthlessly downsizes any sentence:
He went out after he had put on his coat. (10 words)
As the two verbs have the same subject…
He went out after having put on his coat. (9 words)
As 'after' already 'does the job' of telling the reader/listener that the second action mentioned comes before the first, a 'perfect' verb form is not needed…
He went out after putting on his coat. (8 words)
Bingo!
But, when it comes to political correctness that same language is able to go to great lengths in the opposite direction: never hurt anyone who can hurt you back… that is, never hurt anyone as long as you are not certain that you have got the upper hand, and have got it finally!
So
I might possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
is not pleonastic at all: it makes the action of 'getting the job finished by the next evening' even more uncertain than it would have been had the person simply said 'I might get the job finished by tomorrow evening.' It is more cautious.
Similarly, the customer of a bookshop asking about a book the bookshop does not have in stock will be answered "I'm afraid we don't have it," - in 8 words instead of just 5 – to soften the blow a direct "We don't have it," would represent.
answered Oct 7 at 11:14
user58319
1,98772962
There I go again, seeming to rant and rave about a language… I love!
– user58319
Oct 7 at 11:28
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
For the sake of concision, the English language – which seems to abhor redundancy – ruthlessly downsizes any sentence:
He went out after he had put on his coat. (10 words)
As the two verbs have the same subject…
He went out after having put on his coat. (9 words)
As 'after' already 'does the job' of telling the reader/listener that the second action mentioned comes before the first, a 'perfect' verb form is not needed…
He went out after putting on his coat. (8 words)
Bingo!
But, when it comes to political correctness that same language is able to go to great lengths in the opposite direction: never hurt anyone who can hurt you back… that is, never hurt anyone as long as you are not certain that you have got the upper hand, and have got it finally!
So
I might possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
is not pleonastic at all: it makes the action of 'getting the job finished by the next evening' even more uncertain than it would have been had the person simply said 'I might get the job finished by tomorrow evening.' It is more cautious.
Similarly, the customer of a bookshop asking about a book the bookshop does not have in stock will be answered "I'm afraid we don't have it," - in 8 words instead of just 5 – to soften the blow a direct "We don't have it," would represent.
answered Oct 7 at 11:14
user58319
1,98772962
For the sake of concision, the English language – which seems to abhor redundancy – ruthlessly downsizes any sentence:
He went out after he had put on his coat. (10 words)
As the two verbs have the same subject…
He went out after having put on his coat. (9 words)
As 'after' already 'does the job' of telling the reader/listener that the second action mentioned comes before the first, a 'perfect' verb form is not needed…
He went out after putting on his coat. (8 words)
Bingo!
But, when it comes to political correctness that same language is able to go to great lengths in the opposite direction: never hurt anyone who can hurt you back… that is, never hurt anyone as long as you are not certain that you have got the upper hand, and have got it finally!
So
I might possibly get the job finished by tomorrow evening, if I have no more interruptions.
is not pleonastic at all: it makes the action of 'getting the job finished by the next evening' even more uncertain than it would have been had the person simply said 'I might get the job finished by tomorrow evening.' It is more cautious.
Similarly, the customer of a bookshop asking about a book the bookshop does not have in stock will be answered "I'm afraid we don't have it," - in 8 words instead of just 5 – to soften the blow a direct "We don't have it," would represent.
answered Oct 7 at 11:14
user58319
1,98772962
edited Oct 7 at 11:32
answered Oct 7 at 11:14
user58319
1,98772962
answered Oct 7 at 11:14
user58319
1,98772962
answered Oct 7 at 11:14
user58319
1,98772962
1,98772962
There I go again, seeming to rant and rave about a language… I love!
– user58319
Oct 7 at 11:28
add a comment |
There I go again, seeming to rant and rave about a language… I love!
– user58319
Oct 7 at 11:28
There I go again, seeming to rant and rave about a language… I love!
– user58319
Oct 7 at 11:28
There I go again, seeming to rant and rave about a language… I love!
– user58319
Oct 7 at 11:28
add a comment |
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1
Maybe, maybe not.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 12:32
@HotLicks: Irony has never solved any problem, has it?
– user58319
Oct 7 at 12:51
A sensibility for irony has solved many problems.
– Hot Licks
Oct 7 at 13:06