Q. I wonder why so many people use the phrase "may or may not," as in "I may or may not go." To my way of thinking, the word "may" implies either the positive or the negative (or both). The "may not" thus becomes redundant, doesn't it? — Wayne Reece, Nashville, Tenn.

A. Not always. You're right, of course, that "may" alone implies two possibilities. "I may attend the concert," for instance, means either you'll attend or ...

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