Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Disappearing Adverbs

I think adverbs are disappearing from our language.  I suppose in these days of instant messages adverbs are unwieldy with too many syllables.  

Why would anyone write "Drive Safely" when "Drive Safe" is shorter?  Why should people be admonished to "Eat Healthily" or "Eat Healthy Food" when we can "Eat Healthy"?  Apparently it doesn't matter whether or not it is grammatically correct, as long as it fits on the signs or doesn't take too many letters.

A business commercial says that their company "... does it right and does it complete."   The assumption must be that they are thorough and careful, but I guess that would be more words than they wanted to use.

"Well" is soon to be relegated to simply a hole with water in it, because people don't seem to know when else to use it.  How are you?  How did you do on your test?  How did you feel? Good is the common answer these days.  Few people will respond with a verb-modifying adverb.

Now I'm going to walk on a treadmill for a while, but I'll try to walk steady, hydrate smart, and step careful.





7 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's very true isn't it. All the texting short cuts don't help kids learn proper English.

Great Grandma Lin said...

well if you're writing articles adverbs are very needed like nicely done or competely finished. thanks for some interestingly (sic) ideas...

Teacher Mama said...

Do you know how I know I am guilty of saying "Good"? Logan says it.

Ms Opinionated said...

Hi Jo,
Everything is becoming extinct. This is the soceity's way of saying we 'are advancing'. I have often said there is a dying breed of many things. But then people might consider me to be old school....and I have enough faith in knowing that people like you and I know it was better back then. Bring me back - PLEASE!!

Joyce's Journey said...

Okay, then, Jo, if you feel uncreative from my posts, I feel, rather, um, well, like I gotta think before I use improper grammar on yours and look like I ain't speakin' good English, ya know?

By the way, did I ever tell you I majored in English?? :)

storyteller said...

You're certainly correct about this point ... and methinks spelling is rapidly becoming a lost art as well. I left you something at Small Reflections ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

dellgirl said...

I love this post. Everything you say is so true and, I'm with you. I had my fill when I taught 2nd grade and the new thing was having students spell words the way they sound to them. Bab, bad, bad idea. I felt they needed to know how to spell correctly. I won't get started on adverbs, I could go on all day. We are part of a dying breed, I guess.