THE GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF DOUBLE MODALS IN ENGLISH: A NEW PROPOSAL

Abstract

Sequences like He might don't... or He might doesn't..., He musta didn't..., etc., which are current in Black English, are obviously not double modals. It is true that, prima fade, some of the previous sequences involving two modals are reminiscent of the ME truncated innovations represented by the futural and perfective types illustrated in (2) not double modals. It is true that, prima fade, some of the previous sequences involving two modals are reminiscent of the ME truncated innovations represented by the futural and perfective types illustrated in (2).