double modal

Pash   Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:30 pm GMT
Why are there two modal expressions here?

They ought to have to pay.
Kirk   Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:56 pm GMT
That's not two modals--"have" is an auxiliary verb for the perfect tenses. "Have" combines with modals such as "should" "could" "must" "ought to" etc. but it's not a modal itself. One clue that a verb is a modal in English is that it doesn't receive inflection (so, no -s on the 3rd person singular form of the verb) and it doesn't have a past tense directly based off of it. This is not the case for "have," which does have such things.
Pash   Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:24 pm GMT
<That's not two modals--"have" is an auxiliary verb for the perfect tenses. >

I didn't say it was a modal. I said it was a modal expression. BTW, "ought to" is also not a modal verb.
Travis   Wed Sep 20, 2006 11:23 pm GMT
One note is that such constructions are sometimes known as "quasimodals", as they are effectively modal in their function, and yet they have all the properties of normal verbs with respect to usage, distribution, marking, and like.
M56   Wed Sep 20, 2006 11:41 pm GMT
<One note is that such constructions are sometimes known as "quasimodals",>

Or semi-modals.
Guest   Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:47 am GMT
It looks odd to me - I think it's bad grammar, even if some native speakers say so.
Guest   Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:55 am GMT
I'm a native speaker, and I don't think it's bad grammar. The only thing I don't like about it is that it uses "ought", which I myself don't use and don't like for some reason...
M56   Thu Sep 21, 2006 9:58 am GMT
<The only thing I don't like about it is that it uses "ought", which I myself don't use and don't like for some reason... >

What is your variant of English. Are you American?
Guest   Thu Sep 21, 2006 9:07 pm GMT
Yes. I am American. "ought" sounds old-fashioned to me. I never hear anyone say it.
M56   Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:17 pm GMT
<Yes. I am American. "ought" sounds old-fashioned to me. I never hear anyone say it. >


"yes, there ought to be limits to freedom."

Gorge Bush, May 21st 1999.
Guest   Thu Sep 21, 2006 11:28 pm GMT
<<<<They ought to have to pay.>>>>>

Yes, it does sound a little clumsy. Then again, George Bush is famous for expressions which would fail an ESL (English as a Second Language) exam.

"Yes, there should be limits to freedom"

What has happened, and I believe this is very common, is that the speaker has taken a chunk of English.

"they ought to pay";

then added an additional word, for emphasis, or to make it sound more grammatical.

"They ought to HAVE to pay."

It is the addition of the word 'HAVE' that makes the expression clumsy.

"They should have to pay"

"They ought to have to pay".

Simplified, and sounding better.

"The ought to pay."
M56   Fri Sep 22, 2006 12:00 am GMT
They + ought to + have to + verb.

They ought to ("obligation" coming from the speaker) have to (obligation coming from an authority or public body).

Means, for example: In feel that the local government should make them pay.
Guest   Fri Sep 22, 2006 12:46 am GMT
""yes, there ought to be limits to freedom."

Gorge Bush, May 21st 1999."

George Bush is an old man. No wonder he said it.
pash   Fri Sep 22, 2006 12:23 pm GMT
American sources:

In an interview, Dean Anderson defended the invitation. “I think we ought to be open to hearing things we don’t ordinarily hear and that we find objectionable, the better to hone our ability to react to them,” she said.


Dean of Columbia University.

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The industry is “wasting a lot of money paying lawyers to fight, and we ought to be spending that money on engineering,” Mr. Marston said. “Automobile manufacturers need to get the message that they’ve got to do something different. ”

James D. Marston, director of the energy program at the nonprofit Environmental Defense

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Last year, their legal options exhausted, the artists reached an agreement with the landlord, BLDG Management Company, based in Manhattan, to leave the building. In exchange they were forgiven what they owed in back rent.

Even before the artists were evicted, the president of BLDG, Lloyd M. Goldman, said that the building was unsafe and ought to be demolished.
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Guest   Fri Sep 22, 2006 1:20 pm GMT
So? That's a dean, director, and president... Not exactly the normal population. Try being a litle more intelligent next time.