Which is stronger might or may?

[eslweb]

My guess is that might is a little bit stronger than may, but that's just my instinct and not backed up with any evidence and I've been searching the web and found a lot of conflicting advice as to whether might or may is the stronger modal of probability... I figure this is really a question I need to put to the linguistic experts and so I thought of the people in this forum...

James

P.S. If all else fails, let's put it to the vote...

[fluffyhamster]

Have you read Lewis' The English Verb? I recall that he strongly advises against words like 'stronger' (can't remember in relation to which pair of modals!), but a little later almost fell into the same sort of trap himself (and no, I can't quote chapter and verse right now, but I'm intending to re-read it soon and take some notes, with a view to opening up a discussion on what Lewis actually says rather than what people always just reckon he says).

[jotham]

Instead of saying which is stronger, I would say which is weaker. I've seen websites and sources say that might suggests a weaker possibility, for those who still keep track. Many native speakers don't know the difference though.
http://dictionary.reference.com/help/fa ... e/d71.html
http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/may.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learn ... v162.shtml

[lolwhites]

I'm not sure that weaker is the best word here. Rather, I'd say the might sounds more tentative. I wouldn't get too bogged down in probabilities when explaining it, or the Vulcans will start asking for percentage chances (there's one in every class). Remember it's the speaker's choice. It may even depend on who you're talking to. And in speaking, a lot will depend on intonation; you can make may sound pretty unlikely if you say it the right way.

[metal56]

"May", definitely.

[lucy lace]

This could be totally off topic, but I've paid attention to the circumstances when I have used might, and when I have used may, mostly because I've had students ask me which was stronger and I couldn't give them a definitive answer. My conclusion regarding my personal usage was that my choice of modal was phonologically driven, not meaning driven. For example, may have is somewhat awkward to say in casual speech. Therefore, in past speculation, I almost always go with might. Also, it is easier to link might with words that follow beginning with a vowel or /t/ or /d/. If I use might followed by a voiced consonant (I might go), I think I drop/swallow my /t/, and thus often use may just for ease of speech.

My sense is that I use may in formal writing.

Any thoughts?

[John Hall]

I am from Nova Scotia, Canada, and have always used "might" as meaning a less than 50% chance of something, and "may" as meaning about a 50% chance. I never ever thought of them as meaning the same thing until I encountered grammar textbooks that said that they did (in direct contradiction to the way I use them). I've always assumed that this is a regional thing. I am from the Atlantic coast of Canada, where I believe the influence of British English is a little bit stronger than in the rest of North America. Does "might" refer to a lesser possibility than "may" in British English?

[jotham]

Those textbooks that describe them as being the same would be descriptive, because many people actually use them indiscriminately without knowing the difference. These textbooks would rather indulge in the ignorance and accelerate it (because evolution is always superior) rather than point out any nuances like this that might enrich communication. So even if you use them correctly, the people who appreciate the difference and understand your intention precisely are getting fewer. I have to admit I didn't know there was a difference until two years ago. I can't find this on the web again, but a professor tested students and found 50%, I think, knew the difference. I would also be interested to know if this is related to dialect. Were you taught the difference in school? Or did you pick it up from your parents because they knew the difference and used it in such a way so that it became obvious to you what the difference was withot being told?

[eslweb]

Well when my parents said might I always felt there was more of a chance than when they said may. (I'm British from East Anglia) In my strawpoll round the office the teachers (Mostly of Indian origin) here felt that might was stronger, which completely contradicts what the Canadians are saying and the advice in the British Council Website...

Hence the reason for the poll on Dave's cafe in the hope that somebody can give me a definitive answer...

James

[metal56]

Hence the reason for the poll on Dave's cafe in the hope that somebody can give me a definitive answer...

Why should there be a universal and definitive answer?

[lolwhites]

How do you know that the "definitive answer" that "somebody" will give you will be right? Sounds to me like you would like it to be black and white, but the reality just isn't that simple.

[lucy lace]

Those textbooks that describe them as being the same would be descriptive, because many people actually use them indiscriminately without knowing the difference. quote]

Again, I am attempting to prod discussion: I argue that the usage is not so much "indiscriminate" but convenient. In some cases, "might" just rolls off the tongue better. The difference in definition is so subtle (if indeed there at all), most native speakers go for ease of speech over nuance in meaning.

[eslweb]

How do you know that the "definitive answer" that "somebody" will give you will be right? Sounds to me like you would like it to be black and white, but the reality just isn't that simple.

It might happen... Or should that be it may happen? In actual fact I'm happy enough to know that there isn't a consensus and that students don't need to worry about which they use... And for that I want to thank everybody who has contributed to the discussion.

James

[jotham]

The difference in definition is so subtle (if indeed there at all), most native speakers go for ease of speech over nuance in meaning.

Not John Hall. Is he the only one here whose personal usage coincides with what the British Council and American grammarians maintain? I still don't comprehend how some people think the opposite — that might is the stronger possibility. I just grew up thinking they were the same and that neither was stronger than the other, a situation that might be conducive to or even favor Lucy Lace's pronunciation-facility theory.

[metal56]

Again, I am attempting to prod discussion: I argue that the usage is not so much "indiscriminate" but convenient. In some cases, "might" just rolls off the tongue better. The difference in definition is so subtle (if indeed there at all), most native speakers go for ease of speech over nuance in meaning.

Can you tell me how ease affects choices here?

may be - 38006 appearances in 1 million words
might be - 15533 appearances in 1 million words

Source: http://view.byu.edu/