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8.2 If I May/Might Say SoNeither variant is of high frequency: a search of COCA returns 101 examples
of if I may say so and 6 examples of if I might say so.^2 More elaborate variants
of the construction exist, such as if I may be so bold (as to say) (25 examples in
COCA) or if I may be so prosaic/ crass/ modest/ honest (1 example each). In terms
of position, if I may/ might say so is primarily sentence medial (see Table 8.1 ).
If I may/ might say so functions as a parenthetical (on the characteristics of
parentheticals, see Sections 1.2.2 and 8.3.1 below).
The comment clause occurs almost exclusively in the Fiction and Speech
subcorpora (see Figure 8.1 ), i.e., in the most colloquial subcorpora. This is
an interesting fi nding given the declining frequency of may and might in con-
temporary English (see Mair 2006 : 101 and below), and points to the highly
fossilized nature of the construction. There is no evidence that if I might say so
is more formal than if I may say so , since four of the six examples occur in the
Speech subcorpus).
8.2.2 If I May/ Might Say So as an “ Indirect Condition”
If I may/ might say so does not function as a conditional protasis to an adjoined
apodosis; it is not a case of ‘if P, then Q.’ Note that “then” is never possible
in the main clauses of these sentences. For example, in (7a– b), whether or not
2 Seven examples of if I may say so myself were omitted as the comment clause has a different
function; Brown and Levinson (1987[1978]: 172) say that it is “tagged as a brag.” The bragging
function can be seen in the following examples:
(i) I make an arugula and walnut pesto that’s beautiful, if I may say so myself. (2008 SatEarly
[COCA])
(ii) I did obits for a large, metropolitan daily. Little gems if I may say so myself. (2006
Callaloo [COCA])
Note, however, that sometimes this ‘bragging’ function can occur even when myself is missing:
(iii) I was moderately successful, and if I may say so , a pretty sexy guy. (1997 Ploughshares
[COCA])
Table 8.1 Position of parenthetical if I may/
might say so in COCA aPosition Number Percentage
Initial 15 14.0%
Medial 63 58.9%
Final 29 27.1%
Total 107 100%a. Searched March 20, 2016.