E. A. Abbott, A Shakespearean Grammar, GRAMMAR., VERBS, AUXILIARY., VERBS, AUXILIARY. May, might, used optatively

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Table of Contents:

PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION.

PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION.

RELATIVE PRONOUNS.

RELATIVAL CONSTRUCTIONS.

VERBS, FORMS OF.

VERBS, AUXILIARY.

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Be, subjunctive and quasi-subjunctive

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Be in questions and dependent sentences

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Be in the plural and for euphony

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Were, subjunctive use of

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Were after "while" and "until"

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Do, did, original use of

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Do, did, Shakespearian use of

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Do omitted before not

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Do omitted and inserted

VERBS, AUXILIARY. May, can; original and subsequent meaning

VERBS, AUXILIARY. May, antiquity of

VERBS, AUXILIARY. May in doubtful statements

VERBS, AUXILIARY. May with a negative

VERBS, AUXILIARY. May for the subjunctive in the sense of purpose

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Might = "could"

VERBS, AUXILIARY. May, might, used optatively

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Must = "is to;" original use of

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Shall, original meaning

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Will assumed the meaning of futurity with the second and third persons

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Shall assumed the meaning of compulsion with the second and third persons

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Shall, "I shall " from inferiors

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Will, "I will " not used by Shakespeare for "I shall "

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Will, with second person ironical or imperative

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Will with third person, difficult passages

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Should denotes contingent futurity

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Should = "ought;" "was to"

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Should = "ought;" "was to"

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Should in questions and dependent sentences

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Should after a past tense where shall would follow a present

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Should, " should have," Shakespearian use of

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Should denoting the statement of another than the speaker

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Would for "will," "wish," "require"

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Would = "was wont to"

VERBS, AUXILIARY. Would not used for "should"

VERBS, INFLECTIONS OF.

VERBS, MOODS AND TENSES.

IRREGULARITIES.

COMPOUND WORDS.

SIMILE AND METAPHOR.

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VERBS, AUXILIARY. May, might, used optatively

May, Might, like other verbs in Elizabethan English, are frequently used optatively. We still use may thus, as in "May he prosper!" but seldom or never might. But it is clear that--

“Would I might
But ever see that man,
”
Temp. i. 2. 168.

naturally passes into "Might I but see that man," Thus we have--

“Lord worshipped might he be.
”
M. of V. ii. 2. 98.

A Shakespearean Grammar. Edwin Abbott Abbott. London and New York. Macmillan and Company. 1870.

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