|
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891 |
"The ability to act fast can make all the difference"
There is a commercial for Shell Gas that starts with this sentence. It bugs me every time I hear it.
I think they are using 'fast' incorrectly. It's an adjective and they are using it as an adverb.
What do you think?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
Quote:
What do you think?
Advertising language is at the vanguard of language change.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891 |
*sigh* I think you're right, though I sometimes find it quite aggravating.
It's not the pace-the-floor, pound-fist-on-desk type of aggravation; more like the "the milk smells like it's going to go bad about an hour after you drink it" or "you can't find your reading glasses and the writing is too small, so you don't know how the vet wants your to give these suspiciously suppository-looking pills to your dog to cure his cough" type of aggravation.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290 |
It's an adjective and they are using it as an adverb.It's been an adverb for ever so long a time: Chaucer uses it as an adjective and as an adverb amongst other parts of speech. You are kidding, right?
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891 |
You are kidding, right?
Nope. It really bugs me. It doesn't fit the sentence at all and trips off of your tongue when you say it.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
When I was a lad it was common practice (amongst the lads) to toss something (it could have been most anything, up to but not including an actual, live hand granade) at someone whilst screaming "Think Fast!!" -- the yell being intended to put one off ones game.
I don' think we were playing at Chaucer back in the 50s, nor did we give the matter of proper grammar much of a glimmer; but acting fast (or quickly) was certainly required.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661 |
'zactly as I 'member it, tsuwm.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
oh, of course, we allus' said "think fastly!"....
formerly known as etaoin...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773 |
In an effort to promote the mental health of all I urge the prescriptivists in our midst not to take it all so seriously
dalehileman
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557
addict
|
addict
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557 |
Quote:
It's an adjective and they are using it as an adverb.
What do you think?
I think you need to check your dictionary again.
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,423
Members9,182
|
Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
0 members (),
793
guests, and
3
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|