Peter,
A thoughtful testimony to then fuzziness of categories.
Herb
-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar on behalf of Peter Adams
Sent: Mon 9/11/2006 4:24 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Conjunctive Adverbs
In a message dated 9/11/06 11:14:29 AM, [log in to unmask] writes:
> These are frequently called "transitions" or "conjunctive adverbs". I find
> it best to teach them along side subordinate and coordinate conjunctions
> because that is the full set of words the provide the function of linking one
> idea to the next. Sentences are more tightly bound by conjunctions, but
> conjunctive adverbs have the same meaning effect. They should not be taught to
> distantly from conjunctions because they will muddle students' thinking.
>
This makes sense, but what about the following:
1. Christine likes adverbs; surprisingly, Phil likes them too.
2. Martha knows her grammar; sadly, Peter's knowledge is more shaky.
3. Herb sent an email; later, he thought better of it.
4. Herb sent an email; meanwhile, Ed was composing a similar one.
5. Herb sent yet another email; finally, he went to bed.
I expect general agreement that the words following the semicolon in numbers
1, 2, and 3 are, in fact, adverbs. But what about meanwhile, in the fourth
one. Martha calls it a conjunctive adverb; so do Hacker, Troyka, and Aaron.
And finally in number 5. These do serve "the function of linking one idea
to the next," but so does later in #3. And so does the next day in #6, but I
don't think anyone would want to call it conjunctive in any way.
6. Peter sent an email. The next day he tried to retrieve it.
So perhaps "the function of linking one idea to the next" is not a
characteristic solely of conjunctions . . .
I realize that some do not find this discussion interesting. Please indulge
those of us who do.
Peter Adams
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