-
1 Usage note : might
Although usage shows that may and might are interchangeable in many contexts, might indicates a more remote possibility than may. French generally translates this element of possibility using peut-être with the appropriate verb tense:it might snow= il va peut-être neiger(It is also possible to translate this more formally using il se peut + subjunctive: il se peut qu’il neige). For particular examples see might1 1.It is possible to translate might differently depending on the nature of the context and the speaker’s point of view:he might not come= il risque de ne pas venirimplies that this is not a desirable outcome for the speaker ;he might not come= il pourrait ne pas venir or il se peut qu’il ne vienne pashowever, is neutral in tone. Where there is the idea of a possibility in the past which has not in fact occurred (see might1 2), French uses the past conditional of the verb (which is often pouvoir):it might have been serious (but wasn’t in fact)= ça aurait pu être graveThis is also the case where something which could have taken place did not, thus causing annoyance:you might have said thanks!= tu aurais pu dire merci!(see might1 7).might, as the past tense of may, will automatically occur in instances of reported speech:he said you might be hurt= il a dit que tu serais peut-être blesséFor more examples see the entry might1 and bear in mind the rules for the agreement of tenses.Where there is a choice between may and might in making requests, might is more formal and even rather dated. French uses inversion (je peux = puis-je?) in this context and puis-je me permettre de…? (= might I…?) is extremely formal.Might can be used to polite effect - to soften direct statements: you might imagine that…or to offer advice tactfully: it might be wise to…In both cases, French uses the conditional tense of the verb: on pourrait penser que… ; ce serait peut-être une bonne idée de… The use of well in phrases such as he might well be right etc. implies a greater degree of likelihood.For translations of might well, may well, see B2 in the entry well1.
См. также в других словарях:
Cabernet Sauvignon — Infobox grape variety name = Cabernet Sauvignon color = Noir caption = Cabernet Sauvignon grapes species = Vitis Vinifera also called = Bouchet, Bouche, Petit Bouchet, Petit Cabernet, Petit Vidure, Vidure and Sauvignon Rouge origin = Bordeaux… … Wikipedia
Artemis Entreri — Game information Homeland Born and lived a few years of his childhood in Memnon. Raised and grew to adulthood in Calimport. Gender Male Race Human, shade Class Assassin, fighter, rogue … Wikipedia
Sport utility vehicle — SUV redirects here. For other uses, see SUV (disambiguation). 1995 1998 Ford Explorer built on a light truck chassis A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light truck… … Wikipedia
Wine and food matching — A pairing of Vin jaune with walnuts and Comte cheese. Wine and food matching is the process of pairing food dishes with wine to enhance the dining experience. In many cultures, wine has had a long history of being a staple at the dinner table and … Wikipedia
fibre, man-made — Introduction fibre whose chemical composition, structure, and properties are significantly modified during the manufacturing process. Man made fibres are spun and woven into a huge number of consumer and industrial products, including… … Universalium
BIBLE — THE CANON, TEXT, AND EDITIONS canon general titles the canon the significance of the canon the process of canonization contents and titles of the books the tripartite canon … Encyclopedia of Judaism
United Kingdom — a kingdom in NW Europe, consisting of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: formerly comprising Great Britain and Ireland 1801 1922. 58,610,182; 94,242 sq. mi. (244,100 sq. km). Cap.: London. Abbr.: U.K. Official name, United Kingdom of Great… … Universalium
language — /lang gwij/, n. 1. a body of words and the systems for their use common to a people who are of the same community or nation, the same geographical area, or the same cultural tradition: the two languages of Belgium; a Bantu language; the French… … Universalium
Gender differences in spoken Japanese — The Japanese language is unusual among major languages in the high degree to which the speech of women collectively differs from that of men. Differences in the ways that girls and boys use language have been detected in children as young as… … Wikipedia
The Sacrament of Penance — The Sacrament of Penance † Catholic Encyclopedia ► The Sacrament of Penance Penance is a sacrament of the New Law instituted by Christ in which forgiveness of sins committed after baptism is granted through the priest s absolution to… … Catholic encyclopedia
Shelf life — This pack of diced pork says display until 7 May and use by 8 May … Wikipedia
