-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:
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006
9:24 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Adverb of Manner
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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