Might should oughta?

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Farhad - 15 Jul 2009 21:07 GMT

The sentence below is attributed to Southern American English (SAE)
speakers. What does it mean?

I might could leave work early today.

SAE speakers are said to use even more than two modals in their
speech, like "might should oughta". Can anyone make a sentence using
three (or even more) modals in one clause that sounds acceptable to
native English speakers (of any dialect)?

Farhad

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Marius Hancu - 15 Jul 2009 21:14 GMT

> The sentence below is attributed to Southern American English (SAE)
> speakers. What does it mean?
>
> I might could leave work early today.

It means IMO:

I might leave work early today.
or
The possibility exists that I'll/I leave early today.

Marius Hancu

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tony cooper - 15 Jul 2009 21:19 GMT

>The sentence below is attributed to Southern American English (SAE)
>speakers. What does it mean?
>
>I might could leave work early today.

Despite the unsurety of the second and third word, the person intends
to leave work early today.

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Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

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Leslie Danks - 15 Jul 2009 22:02 GMT

> The sentence below is attributed to Southern American English (SAE)
> speakers. What does it mean?
>
> I might could leave work early today.

I would interpret it as "I might be able to leave work early today".

> SAE speakers are said to use even more than two modals in their
> speech, like "might should oughta". Can anyone make a sentence using
> three (or even more) modals in one clause that sounds acceptable to
> native English speakers (of any dialect)?
>
> Farhad

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Les (BrE)

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Pat Durkin - 15 Jul 2009 22:08 GMT

>> The sentence below is attributed to Southern American English (SAE)
>> speakers. What does it mean?
>>
>> I might could leave work early today.
>
> I would interpret it as "I might be able to leave work early today".

And my interpretation is: If you give me some incentive I will leave
work early. I am waiting for a sign (which might be just whatever mood
I'm in--and where are we gonna meet up? You don't expect me to commit
if we are going to a kiddy birthday party, do you? And who's picking up
the tab?)

>> SAE speakers are said to use even more than two modals in their
>> speech, like "might should oughta". Can anyone make a sentence using
>> three (or even more) modals in one clause that sounds acceptable to
>> native English speakers (of any dialect)?

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John Dean - 16 Jul 2009 00:06 GMT

> The sentence below is attributed to Southern American English (SAE)
> speakers. What does it mean?
>
> I might could leave work early today.

You'll find the construction common in the work of Cormac McCarthy,
especially when the book is set in Texas. It's the equivalent of "could
maybe".

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John Dean
Oxford

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Derek Turner - 16 Jul 2009 07:30 GMT

> The sentence below is attributed to Southern American English (SAE)
> speakers.

I thought Spanish and Brazilian were the native languages in South
America. Do you mean the Southern dialect of AmE?

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Farhad - 16 Jul 2009 10:01 GMT

> I thought Spanish and Brazilian were the native languages in South
> America. Do you mean the Southern dialect of AmE?

Yes. Southern American English. Spanish and Brazilian are South
America's languages.

Farhad

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Mark Brader - 16 Jul 2009 20:29 GMT

"Farhad":

> > The sentence below is attributed to Southern American English (SAE)
> > speakers.

Derek Turner:

> I thought Spanish and Brazilian were the native languages in South
> America.

Spanish and Portuguese are the predominant languages of European
origin in South America; French, Dutch, and English are used in the
Guianas; Guarani has official status in Paraguay and I'm sure there
are other aboriginal languages spoken in significant numbers in some
countries. But why mention this?

> Do you mean the Southern dialect of AmE?

That's what he or she said. Pay attention: "Southern American", not
"South American".

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Mark Brader, Toronto "Suspicion breeds confidence."
msb@vex.net -- BRAZIL

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / July 2009

Might should oughta?