-ly has never been the universal mark of adverbs in English grammar.
Some of the examples that Edmond Wright provides have never of not for a
long time taken required -ly to be used as adverbs, including "quick",
"close", "slow", "fast", etc.  The use of "real" as an intensifier has
been around for a long time in informal speech but isn't common in
formal speech and writing.

 

In response to Peter Adams' concern, it is the case that as the language
changes it tends to change in informal registers before the change
creeps into more formal usage.  Teaching register as a part of teaching
grammar is a good way to acquaint students with notions of
appropriateness and of change in progress.

 

Herb

 

________________________________

From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter Adams
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 9:24 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Adverb of Manner

 

Elizabeth's question about -ly endings on adverbs of manner raises an
even broader question: how are we as teachers to decide when some "rule"
of grammar is no longer in effect.  Most of us don't want to be in the
role of defending archaic rules that no longer describe the living,
evolving language, but we also do want to make sure our students learn
the conventions that will stigmatize their writing when violated. 

Two examples I've wondered about lately:  "try and" has appeared twice
in recent weeks in the New York Times.  Should I abandone my efforts to
convince my students that "try to" is preferable?  And the apostrophe
seems to be disappearing in some constructions: Veterans Administration,
for example.  

Many on this list have poked fun at those who cling to archaic rules
about splitting infinitives and ending sentences with prepositions, are
"try and" and the optional apostrophe approaching the same status?  How
will we know when they arrive there?



Peter Adams



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