may/might

Okay I'm going to have to think about this, I can see.

Red fonts do not make up for lack of knowledge or evidence

McTag wrote:

McTag wrote:

"He may go to London.

Past tense: He might go to London. *

[* denotes ungrammatical for the situation]"

I don't really want to get involved in this, lacking the stamina, but that seem a bit weird to me.
It's certainly not past tense, is it?

Past tense would be "He might have gone to London" or something similar.

Clearly, it isn't, McTag. But note that might is only describing an opinion about whether he went to London or not. 'may' can do the same thing.

"He may have gone to London".

Or I could be wrong*, as in

"Last week, he asked if he might go to London."

* or rather, not comprehensive enough.

Just reported speech, McTag, not an indication of any pasttime or tense.

Hi friends

I've checked with a BrE native speaker regarding 'might' as the past tense/past tense form of 'may', and I would like to share his reply with all of you.

It is its etymological past tense-form, or, more simply and conversationally expressed, past tense.

It is not, however, its functional past tense-form.

Maybe one of our members could explain his reply for me. I would be grateful. I hope it will settle the issue.

Thanks in advance.

M-W

etymology

1 : the history of a linguistic form (as a word) shown by tracing its development since its earliest recorded occurrence in the language where it is found, by tracing its transmission from one language to another, by analyzing it into its component parts, by identifying its cognates in other languages, or by tracing it and its cognates to a common ancestral form in an ancestral language

Exactly as I have said more than once, Yoong Liat.

contrex wrote:

Exactly as I have said more than once, Yoong Liat.

Hi Contrex

I believe what you said is correct, but JTT has a different view.

As a perfectionist, I want to get to the bottom of things, in this case, by consulting other native speakers and dictionaries.

By the way, Collins Cobuild Dictionary for Advanced Learners also states that 'may' is present tense and 'might' is past tense. This I left out earlier because I was going out. I've just returned home.

The ultimate, and ungrammatical demotic BrE answer, Yoong Liat, is "You pays your money and you takes your choice".

Hi JTT

If a BrE speaker and an AmE speaker tell me that 'might' is the past tense of 'may', what other things do I need to ask when I believe them.

Good afternoon or evening as the case may be, YL.

Examples would be nice. If you lived centuries ago and asked for confirmation that the earth was flat, your belief that the earth was flat would not require much more than an affirmative response now would it?

Can't you see that if this were true the examples would be pouring onto the pages of this thread. And Contrex would, with unconcealed relish, be leading the charge.

I've not read in any English usage book that 'might' is not the past tense of 'may'. What is stated is it is. Furthermore, the Collins Cobuild Dictionary also states so.

My English usage books and dictionaries also state that 'might' besides being the past tense of 'may' also indicates less possibility than 'may'.

And their examples are? Why haven't you provided any examples, YL? Be careful with many of those "English usage books". Many of them are full of absolute tripe.

Being a non-native speaker, I learn English through grammar, English usage books and dictionaries. Besides that I consult native speakers.

Much to my surprise, I hear conflicting views from you, views which are contrary to what I've learned.

Much to my surprise, I hear conflicting views from you, views which are not contrary to what I've learned.

Hi JTT

What about the dictionaries which state that 'might' is the past tense of 'may' and that 'might' implies less possibility than 'may'? Do you say they are wrong to say that 'might' is the past tense of 'may'?

I think you prefer descriptive English to prescriptive English.

Yoong Liat wrote:

Hi JTT

What about the dictionaries which state that 'might' is the past tense of 'may' and that 'might' implies less possibility than 'may'? Do you say they are wrong to say that 'might' is the past tense of 'may'?

I think you prefer descriptive English to prescriptive English.

They're right when they state "that <might> implies less possibility than <may>, YL, but they're dead wrong when the state "that <might> is the past tense of <may>".

This is a perfect example of the value of Description versus the absolute uselessness of Prescription. Prescription tells us something that can't be done in the English language.

Try it yourself, YL. Make a sentence where might is the past tense of may. When you finally come to the understanding that it simply can't be done, then you'll realize that the earth isn't flat.