could maybe

[Alexey86]

1. I think you have to show your face more on TV and talk like a regular... like a Smith. I think you could maybe reach a lot of people.
(The New York Times)

2. What is so hard about following the menu that I specifically wrote up for you? Do you think you could maybe explain that to me?
(The New Yorker)

3. “Certainly he’s capable of hitting .260 or .270, we’ve seen that,” the hitting coach Kevin Long said of Cabrera, whose season average is .243.
“We were hoping he could maybe do better than that.
(The New York Times - Sports)

What exactly does maybe add to the meaning of the sentences? How would the meaning change without it?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

1. I think you have to show your face more on TV and talk like a regular... like a Smith. I think you could maybe reach a lot of people.
(The New York Times)

2. What is so hard about following the menu that I specifically wrote up for you? Do you think you could maybe explain that to me?
(The New Yorker)

3. “Certainly he’s capable of hitting .260 or .270, we’ve seen that,” the hitting coach Kevin Long said of Cabrera, whose season average is .243.
“We were hoping he could maybe do better than that.
(The New York Times - Sports)

What exactly does maybe add to the meaning of the sentences? How would the meaning change without it?

It just makes it more tentative. It doesn't change the meaning. (I think maybe a linguist might maybe disagree.)

 

[jutfrank]

1) is different from 2) and 3).

In 2) and 3) it adds a sense of disappointment/dissatisfaction/irritation.

 

[Alexey86]

1) is different from 2) and 3).

In 2) and 3) it adds a sense of disappointment/dissatisfaction/irritation.

Do you mean We were hoping he could do better than that would express less disappointment without maybe?

 

[jutfrank]

Do you mean We were hoping he could do better than that would express less disappointment without maybe?

It could, yes. We'd have to actually hear the utterance to know if that is in fact what was intended.

It's certainly common to add maybe after could to add a sense of irritation at a state of affairs. This could well be the case here.

At its strongest, the effect can be downright sarcastic:

Do you think you could maybe shut up for two seconds?

 

[Alexey86]

At its strongest, the effect can be downright sarcastic:

Do you think you could maybe shut up for two seconds?

And maybe should always follow could, at least in interrogative sentences, right? I mean Do you think you maybe could shut up for two seconds? wouldn't make any sense, or at least it would sound odd.

Would it make sense and any difference if I switched them in affirmative sentences?

I think you maybe could reach a lot of people.
We were hoping he maybe could do better than that.

 

[Tarheel]

I think those are possible.

 

[probus]

We were hoping he maybe could do better than that.

That word order is unnatural but it doesn't follow that maybe must follow could. The following is also natural:

We were hoping maybe he could..

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Do you mean We were hoping he could do better than that would express less disappointment without maybe?

We're just as disappointed. It expresses less surprise. It means we didn't really expect him to do better. We just hoped that maybe.

 

[jutfrank]

And maybe should always follow could, at least in interrogative sentences, right? I mean Do you think you maybe could shut up for two seconds? wouldn't make any sense, or at least it would sound odd.

Would it make sense and any difference if I switched them in affirmative sentences?

I think you maybe could reach a lot of people.
We were hoping he maybe could do better than that.

Don't immediately precede could with maybe. Say it immediately after.

 

[Tarheel]

Another fictional dialogue.

Ron: Why is Charlie so darn good at those analyses?
Don: He is just way smarter than you.
Ron: I guess.

:-D