0
Leonharley Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
About "might have done"
In HBO's Pacific's final episode about the Marines' homecoming, Cpl. Robert Leckie's cab driver, himself a European Theater veteran, refuses the Marine's cab fare,he said:
"I'm not taking that. I might have jumped off at Normandy but I got rehab in Paris and London, all you Gyreenes got was jungle rot and malaria"
This is quoted from a blog.
I don't understand why the cab driver used "I might have jumped off" but not "I have jumped off".
Do "I might have jumped" mean "I perhaps have jumped"?
If he did jumped off,why he used "perhaps"?
I found follow explanation from dictionary,but i dont think it match either.
4 [MODAL]
You use might have with a past participle to indicate that it is possible that something happened or was true, or when giving a possible explanation for something.
I heard what might have been an explosion...
She thought the shooting might have been an accident...
= could have
5 [MODAL]
You use might have with a past participle to indicate that something was a possibility in the past, although it did not actually happen.
Had the bomb dropped over a populated area of the city, there might have been a great deal of damage...
"I'm not taking that. I might have jumped off at Normandy but I got rehab in Paris and London, all you Gyreenes got was jungle rot and malaria"
This is quoted from a blog.
I don't understand why the cab driver used "I might have jumped off" but not "I have jumped off".
Do "I might have jumped" mean "I perhaps have jumped"?
If he did jumped off,why he used "perhaps"?
I found follow explanation from dictionary,but i dont think it match either.
4 [MODAL]
You use might have with a past participle to indicate that it is possible that something happened or was true, or when giving a possible explanation for something.
I heard what might have been an explosion...
She thought the shooting might have been an accident...
= could have
5 [MODAL]
You use might have with a past participle to indicate that something was a possibility in the past, although it did not actually happen.
Had the bomb dropped over a populated area of the city, there might have been a great deal of damage...
Top answer
Here, "might" does not imply uncertainty about what happened: he definitely did jump off at Normandy. Instead, "might" has the sense of "even though" or "despite the fact that". Its purpose is to emphasise the contrast between jumping off at Normandy (bad thing) and getting rehab in Paris and London (redeeming thing).
- Here, "might" does not imply uncertainty about what happened: he definitely did jump off at Normandy.
- Instead, "might" has the sense of "even though" or "despite the fact that".
- Its purpose is to emphasise the contrast between jumping off at Normandy (bad thing) and getting rehab in Paris and London (redeeming thing).
- "
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
9 Answers
0
Here, "might" does not imply uncertainty about what happened: he definitely did jump off at Normandy. Instead, "might" has the sense of "even though" or "despite the fact that". Its purpose is to emphasise the contrast between jumping off at Normandy (bad thing) and getting rehab in Paris and London (redeeming thing).
A couple of further examples:
"I might be old but I'm not sen
A couple of further examples:
"I might be old but I'm not sen
00
0
Mr Wordy, do you find anything strange about the phrase 'himself a European...'?
I can't get my head around this phrasing. Perhaps you could shed some much needed light?
Ta.
I can't get my head around this phrasing. Perhaps you could shed some much needed light?
Ta.
00
English 1b3Mr Wordy, do you find anything strange about the phrase 'himself a European...'?No, to me it seems OK. I'm not sure how to explain it beyond just noting that it's standard form of wording.
00
What is the difference in meaning here? Aren't they both simply appositives referring to the cab driver? Or does himself make the appositive refer to the possessive "Cpl. Robert"?
Cpl. Robert Leckie's cab driver, himself a European Theater veteran, refuses the Marine's cab fare,he said
Cpl. Robert Leckie's cab driver, a European Theater veteran,
Cpl. Robert Leckie's cab driver, himself a European Theater veteran, refuses the Marine's cab fare,he said
Cpl. Robert Leckie's cab driver, a European Theater veteran,
00
English 1b3What is the difference in meaning here? Aren't they both simply appositives referring to the cab driver? Or does himself make the appositive refer to the possessive "Cpl. Robert"?
Cpl. Robert Leckie's cab driver, himself a European Theater veteran, refuses the Marine's cab fare,he said
Cpl. Robert Leckie's ca
00
Oh, of course, how silly of me.
I'm just used to it being written thus:
Cpl. Robert Leckie's cab driver, a European Theater veteran himself, refuses...
I've never seen it with himself at the beginning of the phrase. Hence the confusion. Would you normally write it as I have done or as the OP has?
I'm just used to it being written thus:
Cpl. Robert Leckie's cab driver, a European Theater veteran himself, refuses...
I've never seen it with himself at the beginning of the phrase. Hence the confusion. Would you normally write it as I have done or as the OP has?
00
English 1b3
I'm just used to it being written thus:
Cpl. Robert Leckie's cab driver, a European Theater veteran himself, refuses...
I've never seen it with himself at the beginning of the phrase. Hence the confusion. Would you normally write it as I have done or as the OP has?Both are OK by me, but placing "himself" at the sta
00
Mr WordyI think that the longer the phrase, the weaker it becomes to have "himself" trailing at the end.True.
If you have the time and are at all interested, I'd appreciate your thoughts on this question I have provided the link for below, Mr Wordy. May see you there. Ta.
0
Related Questions