Kirk Mahoney . com

My blog post yesterday made me remember this slogan from Apple.

Problem:
The Macintosh computer maker used an adjective where an adverb was required.

Explanation:
Apple Computer used (quote) “Think different.” (unquote) in the 1990s as one of its advertising slogans.

The word “different” is an adjective.

Adjectives modify nouns, not verbs, but Apple used “different” to modify a verb (”Think”).

Apple was trying to tell the viewer how to think.

This requires an adverb.

Many adjectives can be converted to adverbs by appending the L-Y suffix.

“Different” is one of those adjectives.

This gives us the solution.

I suppose that Apple and its advertising firm were trying to be catchy or edgy by using an adjective where an adverb was required.

But I view this grammatical mistake as encouraging the decline of the distinction between adjectives and adverbs.

Solution:
“Think differently.”

My wife saw this yesterday in a TV commercial for Outback Steakhouse.

Problem:
The restaurant chain used an adjective where an adverb was required.

Explanation:
Outback Steakhouse now has (quote) “Live Adventurous.” (unquote) as one of its advertising slogans, as my wife saw yesterday in a television advertisement from the chain.

The word “adventurous” is an adjective.

Adjectives modify nouns, not verbs, but Outback is using “adventurous” to modify a verb (”Live”).

Outback is trying to tell the viewer how to live.

This requires an adverb.

Many adjectives can be converted to adverbs by appending the L-Y suffix.

“Adventurous” is one of those adjectives.

This gives us the solution.

I suppose that Outback and its advertising firm were trying to be catchy or edgy by using an adjective where an adverb was required.

But I view this grammatical mistake as encouraging the decline of the distinction between adjectives and adverbs.

Solution:
“Live Adventurously.”

I heard this four days ago on a CNN evening-news broadcast.

Problem:
There is no problem with this statement in and of itself. But the reporter was referring to the state of the person found, so there is a problem.

Explanation:
The CNN reporter said (quote) “She was found safely.” (unquote) as part of a longer report about a robber and father who took his daughter to his robbery of a convenience store.

Security-camera videos implied that the daughter apparently was unaware that her father was robbing the store, but police were very concerned for her safety, the reporter said.

So the police searched for the girl and eventually found her in a safe condition.

But the reporter said (quote) “She was found safely.” (unquote), even though the search for the girl had no hint of danger.

This is an example of hypercorrection.

To say (quote) “She was found safely.” (unquote) is to say that the finding of the girl was done in a safe manner — because “safely” is an adverb that modifies the verb “found”.

The solution comes from understanding the role of a predicate adjective.

Solution:
“She was found safe.”

I read this in a company’s employee-education course about a week ago.

Problem:
The word “great” is not an adverb.

Explanation:
The word “great” in (quote) “You have done great.” (unquote) acts as an adverb because it modifies the verb “done”.

Writing (quote) “You have done great.” (unquote) is just as wrong as writing (quote) “You have done good.” (unquote) because neither the adjective “good” nor the adjective “great” should be used to modify a verb.

The solution comes from replacing the adjective “great” with an adverb that carries a similar sentiment.

Solution:
“You have done well.”

My wife heard this two days ago on NPR.

Problem:
The speaker used an adjective where an adverb was required.

Explanation:
National Public Radio on March 12 aired a report in which my wife heard someone say (quote) “Women are still not paid equal to men.” (unquote).

As is true for “naked” verbs, the passive-voice construction (quote) “are still not paid” (unquote) may be modified by an adverb but may never be modified by an adjective.

The word “equal” is an adjective, not an adverb.

Many adjectives — including “equal” — can be converted into adverbs by adding the “ly” suffix.

I believe that the omission of the “ly” suffix from what should be the adverbial forms of adjectives is consistent with my “Devolution toward Simpler” linguistic hypothesis.

It is simpler to omit the “ly” suffix, which adds two more letters and an extra syllable, than to include it.

Solution:
“Women are still not paid equally to men.”

I heard someone say “inversely” yesterday to introduce a contrary opinion to what he first stated.

Problem:
The adverbs “inversely” and “conversely” are not synonyms, just as the adjectives “inverse” and “converse” are not synonyms.

Explanation:
When I heard someone yesterday state one opinion and then introduce an opposing opinion with the adverb “inversely”, I thought that it sounded odd.

I was expecting him to say “conversely” instead of “inversely”, so I decided to learn more about the adjectives “inverse” and “converse”.

The primary meaning of the adjective “inverse” is reversed in position, tendency, direction, or order.

This adjective dates back to around 1610 from a Latin verb that means to turn inside out or upside down.

So an example of valid use of “inverse” is (quote) “The inverse form of the fraction 3/4 is the fraction 4/3.” (unquote).

The primary meaning of the adjective “converse” is contrary or opposite in sequence, action, or direction.

This adjective dates back to the second half of the 1300s from a Latin verb that means to turn around.

So an example of a valid use of “converse” is (quote) “The converse perspective to ‘The glass is half-full.’ is ‘The glass is half-empty.’” (unquote).

Solution:
Use the adjective “converse” to label something that is contrary or goes in the opposite direction. Use the adjective “inverse” to label something that is upside down or inside out.

I heard someone say this in an interview the other day.

Problem:
The adverb “back” in “reciprocate back” is redundant.

Explanation:
I heard an Internet-marketing guru say (quote) “They’ll reciprocate back for you.” (unquote) in an audio file recorded as part of an interview series sponsored by Brad Callen, the maker of Keyword Elite.

The verb “reciprocate” when used without an object usually means to make a return, so the meaning of (quote) “reciprocate back” (unquote) would be to make a return back.

Because the “re” in “return” means back, one could argue that someone who (quote) “reciprocates back” (unquote) would never make a return (e.g., for something given).

For fun, I searched Google for the expression “reciprocate back” (with the quotation marks, to avoid variations) and got about 7,920 matches, which is relatively low.

I continue to believe that the growing tendency, at least in American English, to add the adverb “back” after many “re” verbs reflects a growing ignorance about the meanings of the roots of English words.

Solution:
“They’ll reciprocate for you.”

I overheard this yesterday.

Problem:
The adverb “back” in “report back” is redundant.

Explanation:
The verb “report” comes from the Latin verb “reportare”, which to carry back.

So the meaning of (quote) “report back” (unquote) would be to carry back back.

Because the “re” in “report” means back, one could argue that those who (quote) “report back” (unquote) would never reach their intended audience.

For fun, I searched Google for the expression “report back” (with the quotation marks, to avoid variations) and got about 3,740,000 matches.

This is depressing.

Solution:
“They dotted-line report to Becky.”

I saw this today in a Vonage commercial.

Problem:
The adverb does not match the tense of the verb.

Explanation:
The adverb “yet” means at the present time.

The expression “didn’t leave” is in the past tense, so “yet” does not go with “didn’t leave” (or any other expression in the past tense).

In other words, it makes no sense to say, “Hope you didn’t leave at the present time.”

To fix this, one must change the expression to the present tense.

Solution:
“Hope you have not left yet.”

I often hear these two words used interchangeably.

Problem:
These two words, whether as adjectives or as adverbs, are not quite synonyms.

Explanation:
Although it is true that “farther” and “further” have been used interchangeably for years, grammarians today increasingly consider these two words to have a physical-versus-metaphorical distinction.

As an adjective, the primary meaning of the word “farther” is more remote or distant than some place or something closer.

An example of the use of “farther” as an adjective is (quote) “The truck is on the farther side of the warehouse.” (unquote).

As an adverb, the primary meaning of the word “farther” is to or at a great distance.

An example of the use of “farther” as an adverb is (quote) “Chuck Yeager flew farther toward outer space than did any of his contemporaries.” (unquote).

As an adjective, the primary non-”farther” meaning of the word “further” is more extended.

An example of the use of “further” as an adjective is (quote) “Any further delay in our flight home would mean that we would not be home for Christmas.” (unquote).

As an adverb, the primary non-”farther” meaning of the word “further” is to or at a more advanced point.

An example of the use of “further” as an adverb is (quote) “I may not go further with my studies until I pass that exam.” (unquote).

Solution:
Use “farther” only for physical distance; prefer “further” for metaphorical distance (in space or time).