Economist Style Guide - Redress Information & Analysis

m
masterful, masterly Masterful means imperious; masterly means
skilled.
may and might are not always interchangeable, and you may want
may more often than you think. If in doubt, try may fi rst. I might
be wrong, but I think it will rain later should be I may be wrong, but I
think it will rain later.
Much of the trouble arises from the fact that may becomes
might in both the subjunctive and in some constructions using past
tenses. Mr Blair admits that weapons of mass destruction may never
be found becomes, in the past, Mr Blair admitted that weapons of
mass destruction might never be found.
Conditional sentences using the subjunctive also need might.
Thus If Mr Bush were to win the election, he might make his horse
ambassador to the un. This could be rephrased by If Mr Bush
wins the election, he may make his horse ambassador to the un.
Conditional sentences stating something contrary to fact, however,
need might: If pigs had wings, birds might raise their eyebrows.
The facts are crucial. New research shows Tutankhamun may
have died of a broken leg is fi ne, if indeed that is what the research
shows. New research shows Tutankhamun might have died of a
broken leg is not fi ne, unless it is followed by something like if his
mummy hadn’t dressed the wound before it became infected. This,
though, is saying something quite different. In the fi rst example,
it is clear both that Tutankhamun died and that a broken leg
may have been responsible. In the second, it is clear only that
his wound was dressed; as a result, Tutankhamun seems to have
survived.
Similarly, John Kerry might make French lessons mandatory for
Republicans is fi ne before the election (when it is unclear whether
he will win). After the election (when he has lost), John Kerry may
make French lessons mandatory for Republicans becomes absurd,
though John Kerry may start learning German does not. John Kerry
might have made French lessons mandatory for Republicans is,
however, fi ne.
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