I haven't followed this discussion closely, so I'm sure someone
has proposed and someone else dispensed with this analysis.  I'd
agree generally with Bruce's, but I'd simply treat "think" as a
complex transitive verb whose indefinite direct object "something"
has been deleted, leaving just the object complement "different",
an adjective phrase that works perfectly well with the expressed
DO and should therefore with the deleted indefinite DO.  As to
"act professional", and again I'm sure this must have been
proposed, "act" is simply a linking verb here with an adjective
phrase as subject complement.  While this analysis doesn't work as
well with "speak", although it can be stretched to cover that, the
form "professional" would arise from a desire for parallel
structure.

Herb Stahlke

>>> [log in to unmask] 02/07/01 10:35AM >>>
Robert and all,

The whole idea of "different" in "think different" being a noun
is very hard to swallow.  I keep thinking of the fact that many
phrases can be understood better if we try to fill in suppositions
that are left out.  In this case we might say, "Something may be
different from something else; you may think of this thing; you
must think in this way."  If this analysis is correct, then "you
must think in this way." suggests that the complement to the
"think" that is closest to the surface is a manner adverb (without
an "-ly.").  The proposition "you may think of this thing," where
"something different" is presupposed, is in some sense below the
surface.  The first proposition has "different" as a predicate
adjective with its understood subject and complement supplied.  I
am wondering if it is the absense of the "-ly" that is what
emphasizes the second supposition "you may think of this thing."

For me the phrase "act professional and speak professional" is a
little awkward.  I think it is because the first phrase fits this
pattern better.  "You may be a professional; you must act in this
way."  Here the underlying descriptive phrase is a noun of
occupation and we may get a full manner phrase: "act as a
professional."  "Speak as a professional" seems semantically to be
included in the other phrase.  Speaking is a part of acting. It is
possible that this is a cause of my dis-ease.  It's like saying
"walk carefully and step carefully."  Maybe this interpretation
could be avoided with "if you act professional you will speak
professional."

Bruce D. Despain

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