Thread: May\might 2
View Single Post
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 18-Aug-2006, 02:29
riverkid riverkid is offline
Key Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Country: Canada
Location: Canada
First Language: English
Posts: 2,515
Thanks: 2
Thanked 210 Times in 203 Posts
riverkid has a spectacular aura aboutriverkid has a spectacular aura aboutriverkid has a spectacular aura about
Default Re: May\might 2

He may have died.

This can be used in either an epistemic modal manner or a deontic modal manner so either is possible. 'may' used in the latter fashion, as a deontic denoting an admonishment is a much less likely collocation than 'could' or 'might', hence we have a greater tendency to view it as "a possibility that he died".
Reply With Quote