Could/might have for emphasizing feelings
1. I was so relieved I could have kissed them all.
2. I was so relieved I might have kissed them all.
Hi. I think we can read the two sentences from two angles:
First angle: "could/might have kissed" can have nothing to do with actual possibility that I could/might have kissed them but just serves as an emphasis on how relieved I was.
Second angle: in the right context, "could/might have kissed" are not used for emphasis on feelings and indicate actual possibility that I could/might have kissed them (i.e. "could have" = "it would have been possible for me to kiss them if ..." ; "might have" = "it was possible that I would have kissed them if ..."
Do I understand them correctly?
Thank you.
Top answer
zuotengdazuo Do I understand them correctly? There are not two such angles because they are part and parcel of the same use of the conditional: one is the semantics and the other is the syntax. Your 'angles' cannot be used separately, any more than can they in these: I was so angry I could have killed them all.
- zuotengdazuo Do I understand them correctly?
- There are not two such angles because they are part and parcel of the same use of the conditional: one is the semantics and the other is the syntax.
- Your 'angles' cannot be used separately, any more than can they in these: I was so angry I could have killed them all.
- I was so blind I could have missed them all.
- I was so jealous I could have dissed them all.
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zuotengdazuoDo I understand them correctly?
There are not two such angles because they are part and parcel of the same use of the conditional: one is the semantics and the other is the syntax. Your 'angles' cannot be used separately, any more than can they in these:
I was so angry I could have killed them all.
I was so blind I could
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