Etymology of ～かもしれません


So, today one of the topics boarded in the lessons I'm taking was the form

> ～かもしりません

Now, I'm thinking the しれません part comes from the potential form of 知る. That
way, in the sentence, it would mean something like "can't know", giving the
"guessing" property of the form.

Could someone confirm if this train of thought is correct? Also, I haven't
found a meaning for the かも bit, so I would appreciate one if possible.




I would think that しれません comes from the verb 知れる which means "to be known"
rather than "to know".

The か part forms an embedded question e.g.

> 何時に始まる **か** 調べてください。  
>  What times does it begin? Please check.  
>  Please check what time it begins.

も is a tricky particle. I'm going to claim that it means 'even' in this
context, but I think it is more subtle.

Putting it together we have

> 明日、雪が降るかもしれない。  
>  Tommorow, will snow even fall? It is not known.  
>  It may snow tomorrow.

I think it is best just to treat it as a set phrase though.




I would think that しれません comes from the verb 知れる which means "to be known"
rather than "to know".

The か part forms an embedded question e.g.

> 何時に始まる **か** 調べてください。  
>  What times does it begin? Please check.  
>  Please check what time it begins.

も is a tricky particle. I'm going to claim that it means 'even' in this
context, but I think it is more subtle.

Putting it together we have

> 明日、雪が降るかもしれない。  
>  Tommorow, will snow even fall? It is not known.  
>  It may snow tomorrow.

I think it is best just to treat it as a set phrase though.

