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If you don't do it, you'll never know what would have happened if you had done it.

interests / alt.usage.english / that I would fall/modals 2

that I would fall/modals 2

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From: arthurvarr@gmail.com (navi)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: that I would fall/modals 2
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2024 20:56:13 +0000
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by: navi - Tue, 9 Apr 2024 20:56 UTC

1) He pushed me in such a way that I would fall. But I didn't.
2) He pushed me so, that I would fall. But I didn't.
3) He pushed me such that I would fall. But I didn't.

4) He pushed me in such a way that I may fall. But I didn't.
5) He pushed me so, that I may fall. But I didn't.
6) He pushed me such that I may fall. But I didn't.

Which are correct and meaningful?

Gratefully,
Navi

Lost in the Twilight Zone of the English language
Obsesses with ambiguity
Interested in strange structures

Re: that I would fall/modals 2

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From: snidely.too@gmail.com (Snidely)
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Subject: Re: that I would fall/modals 2
Date: Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:35:16 -0700
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by: Snidely - Tue, 9 Apr 2024 21:35 UTC

navi speculated:
> 1) He pushed me in such a way that I would fall. But I didn't.
> 2) He pushed me so, that I would fall. But I didn't.
> 3) He pushed me such that I would fall. But I didn't.
>
> 4) He pushed me in such a way that I may fall. But I didn't.
> 5) He pushed me so, that I may fall. But I didn't.
> 6) He pushed me such that I may fall. But I didn't.
>
> Which are correct and meaningful?

The commas after "so" in 2 and 5 look very odd. I could only justify
them if "so" was describing the manner of pushing, but that would be
better as "He pushed me just so ...."

For 4-6, I'd be more likely to use "might" instead of "may"; the latter
suggests that I wanted to fall and needed help.

I like 1 and 4 better than 3 and 6.

But what I'd say would not use a modal at all:

0) "He pushed me to make me fall, but I didn't."

/dps

--
"It wasn't just a splash in the pan"
-- lectricbikes.com

Subject	Author
that I would fall/modals 2	navi
Re: that I would fall/modals 2	Snidely