May I might be corrected

[CRilliterate]

I am ofter confused with 'may' and 'might'.
I might be wrong or I may be right???



________________________________________
I am using Windows XP, Crystal Reports 9.0 with SQL Server

 

[Stella740pl]

LFI,

P.S., 'irony' is the correct term for the fact that discussion regarding the hijacking of a thread is hijacking the thread, yes?
Well, yes.

CC,
That being said, I agree those above; this discussion deserves its own thread.
Apparently, I even started one some time ago - completely forgot about it until made a search a few minutes ago.
Here: thread1256-1069471. Ironically, I started it to stop hijacking and reroute the discussion into its own thread.

Also, a number of other threads have touched the subject:
thread1256-1068995
thread1256-1196082
thread1256-914308

 

[SantaMufasa]

Yes, the topic of passive voice deserves its own treatment, but since another thread might not contain the same assertions that appear here, I would like to respond here to an assertion:

a word in defense of a passive voice...What's wrong with it? It exists in the language for a purpose and can be appropriate when used for this purpose.

"Ain't" and "brung" also exist in the language...they have purpose, but I cannot think of a case where their uses convey eloquence, refinement, and high standards. I'm trying, Stella, to think of an example where passive voice communicates a stronger, better, clearer, more eloquent message than active voice. Can you offer a side-by-side example of when a passive construction conveys more meaning than an active construction? Most scholarly editors of English text mark passive construction as, "weak passive voice," and I typically agree that passive voice is weaker than its active-voice counterpart.


Perhaps your (and others') responses can appear in a thread that you create named, "In defense of Passive Voice".


Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[

http://www.dasages.com:

Providing low-cost remote Database Admin services]
Click here to join Utah Oracle Users Group on Tek-Tips if you use Oracle in Utah USA.

 

[Stella740pl]

SantaMufasa,

Perhaps your (and others') responses can appear in a thread that you create named, "In defense of Passive Voice".

Can you offer a side-by-side example of when a passive construction conveys more meaning than an active construction?

Yes, in that (archived) thread that I already created some time ago and referenced above (you can start a new one if you wish), please see the post by chipperMDW dated 1-Jun-05 1:10. I would say you can find good examples with explanations there.

"Ain't" and "brung" also exist in the language...they have purpose, but I cannot think of a case where their uses convey eloquence, refinement, and high standards.
Your comparisons are a little off, to say the least. I don’t want to get started on these.

Most scholarly editors of English text mark passive construction as, "weak passive voice," and I typically agree that passive voice is weaker than its active-voice counterpart.
Well, you got it, at last. ;-) This is exactly the case where a passive voice should be used. Sometimes you need to convey some additional information into the sentence, but not to over-accentuate on it; to give it a secondary, not primary importance in the text. The subject of the sentence is usually who/what you want to make a center of attention – and it’s not always the same as the subject of an action described, so to say. The subject of an action sometimes is just additional information.

As for the “most scholarly”, well, I’ve seen different opinions on the matter. I think I might have given some links in those older threads.

 

[CRilliterate]

Using my pasive voice I want to let everyone know that this is much more than I was bargaining for. THANKS a lot.

________________________________________
I am using Windows XP, Crystal Reports 9.0 with SQL Server

 

[Trevoke]

Cajun, I have no real frame of reference beyond my understanding of the english language.

I can : this is simple. Everyone uses it. It means it's not a likelihood or a possibility, it's a truth.

I could : it's also likely to be a truth; in other words, a strong possibility.

I may : Anyone had any teachers who replied to "Can I go to the bathroom" with "You may" ? Even though the intended meaning for 'may' is different in our context, the difference is clear.

I might : "Might I go to the bathroom?" "Yes, you may." The first one indicates a very small likelihood, the second one a greater likelihood.

I'm afraid I can't explain it much better than that. I hope it makes sense. If I'm wrong, do let me know..

"That time in Seattle... was a nightmare. I came out of it dead broke, without a house, without anything except a girlfriend and a knowledge of UNIX."
"Well, that's something," Avi says. "Normally those two are mutually exclusive."
-- Neal Stephenson, "Cryptonomicon"