May vs might not

Question

She may not make it to the meeting. She might not make it to the meeting. Please advise which sentence indicates that it is less possible that she will make it to the meeting.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I can't say which seems to indicate less liklihood she'll make it, but my instinct tells me that when we use "may," the factors are still in play; while the use of "might" suggests to me that the game is played out, and we simply haven't learned the results.

If the meeting has begun, and you're present, and take a phone call telling you that she's not coming, but forbidding you to say so; which would you choose?

I'm sure someone will come up with a more definitive answer.

- A.

Kooyeen · Answer

Lcwang She may not make it to the meeting.
She might not make it to the meeting.

Please advise which sentence indicates that it is less possible that she will make it to the meeting.

Neither. Unless that's part of an exercise... then you are supposed to give a wrong answer, that is, might. But it would be wrong, in practice.

CalifJim · Answer

LcwangPlease advise which sentence indicates that it is less ~~possible~~ probable that she will make it to the meeting.

(Either a thing is possible or it is not possible. There are no degrees.)

In American English both sentences mean:

It is possible that she will not make it to the meeting.

The lower register might makes the statement quite neutral. She might show up; she might not show up. Fact.

By using the higher register may, some speakers wish to indicate a feeling that maybe steps ought to be taken for the eventuality of her not being at the meeting. Should we reschedule the meeting? Should we get her notes from someone else? ... There is a little more emotional involvement -- an alert, perhaps.

She might not make it to the meeting. (End.)
But,
She may not make it to the meeting, ... (So what should we do about that?)

Other speakers will have other opinions about the exact shades of meaning. In any case, a discussion in terms of relative probabilities won't necessarily help you to understand may not and might not.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

Hi, CJ,
Could you say a word about "register" here? Is it used generically, in the sense that anything which has "degrees" also has a scale/register, so in this case we're speaking of the probability scale/register, or perhaps the "degree of alert" scale/register?

The reason I ask is that heretofore I've only seen reference to a kind of useage situation register, comparing speech suitable for an audience with the queen with speech suitable for the neighbourhood pub. I took this as an established ESL tool, in the manner of "the social register." (Well, bad example.) I think you once applied numerical values, which I took as possibly tongue-in-cheek.
So I'm just wondering if it's a generic application, or if there's some tradition for these things.
Thanks for your consideration. - A.

CalifJim · Answer

I didn't mean a probability register or a "degree of alert" register. I meant "social register" -- the difference between "domicile" and "house", between "commodious" and "roomy", between "reciprocity" and "give-and-take".

"comparing speech suitable for an audience with the queen with speech suitable for the neighbourhood pub." That's the idea.

"I think you once applied numerical values, which I took as possibly tongue-in-cheek" Not tongue-in-cheek at all.

See Go to the top of the second page of the thread.

The conventions for numbering described there conform to those of Cambridge University Press.

Statistically, might in used more in ordinary conversation, may more in journalism and academics -- in American English. (There's a post on this somewhere!)

CJ

Avangi · Answer

Thank you very kindly, CJ.  Now it all makes sense.

May vs might not

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