|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
Pooh-Bah
|
OP
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379 |
I am reading the above title (Philip Gucker, Dover Press, 1966). In the section on adverbs, he writes, "'Good' and 'well' should be carefuly differentiated. 'Good' is always an adjective. 'Well' is usually an adverb; but it is used as an adjective for certain meanings--attractive, satisfactory, in good health..."
He goes on to give several examples. In one among them, "Mrs. Klein looks *well* in that dress," he suggests "well" functions as an adjective. I would have thought its function was adverbial. Am I daft, or is he mistaken?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
He's right. 'Looks' functions as a linking verb (similarly as the verb 'to be') in the example above and 'well' functions as a predicate adjective. He could have also used 'good' as the predicate adjective.
However, he could have also meant 'well' to be an adverb with 'looks' functioning no longer as a linking verb, but as an intransitive verb in a different context:
1st speaker: "Only those who look well to find lost objects will find them."
2nd speaker: "Mrs. Klein has lost something in the parlor."
3rd speaker: "Oh, she'll find it!"
4th speaker, "Certainly. Mrs. Klein looks well."
In that context, 'well' functions as an adverb; in the context you cited, 'well' functions as an adjective.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
Am I daft, or is he mistaken? Are you implying that these might be mutually exclusive?   I think maybe it's all the fault of the song. "Hey, good-lookin'..."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
Pooh-Bah
|
|
OP
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379 |
"Implying"
No, of course not. The "or" is inclusive.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
Pooh-Bah
|
|
OP
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379 |
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467 |
Ugh! I cannot imagine my using that construction in the context presented. Ugh!
"Darling, that dress looks good on you." Versus, "Darling that dress looks well on you."
Compare:
"Oh, that sandich smells good." or "Oh, that sandwich smells well."
Further:
"Oh, that sandwich looks good." or "Oh, that sandwich looks well."
I don't look well but I feel pretty good.
I think what's going on is that there are some assumed words here, which is what makes an adjective seem as though it's an adverb:
Mrs. Klein looks as though she is good in that dress.
TEd
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
Bing Crosby has a line in either "Holiday Inn" or "White Christmas" in which he tells someone that she looks well--and he isn't referring to her health. It sounds odd to my ear, too, Ted, but it's okay, odd or not.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
I believe it's just a case of usage that's fallen out of favor. Now the one I *really hate is "I feel badly." 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788 |
One who "feels badly" prolly ought to take feeling lessons in order to do it better.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
prolly ought to take feeling lessons in order to do it better.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788 |
A sign in The Old Portland Tonsorial Parlor, located in Oregon on the Left Coast, reads: IT PAYS TO LOOK WELL." One may obtain both a haircut and a shoeshine at this establishment but not lessons in looking, to the best of my knowledge.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
Those who break into safes shouldn't feel badly. In fact, don't they file off the skin on the ends of their fingers to feel better?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400 |
re: In fact, don't they file off the skin on the ends of their fingers to feel better?
Oh, WW, you are so good, so pure, so innocent..
i thought Mav was addressing the needs of the make out artists(to be) who haven't yet become as international as Mav..
you know, international guys(from my youth) the kind that had Rom'n hands, and russin fingers..
Lacking facility, they might feel badly.. (and grope your arm (or worse yet, your armpit) when attempting to grope more erotic parts!)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
He tried to fix that thought in case it came in useful, but some mental processes were fully occupied with the growing realization of how well some women could look in a severely plain dress.
- Terry Pratchett, Going Postal
I'm sure that idioms such as this go unobserved all the time; then someone brings them up someplace like this and et viola.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
and et viola
Can't fool me. She's your aunt.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
In reply to:
...with the growing realization of how well some women could look in a severely plain dress.
Not anything to do with 'well,' but an opening passage from Middlemarch that I was reminded of:
"Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
not lessons in looking
Are you sure? You best look well ifn you're gonna be sure the haircut was what you wanted before you pay for it.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 444
addict
|
|
addict
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 444 |
Anna, couldn't agree more!
But in (British) English it is perfectly acceptable and normal (at least for hypochondriacs) to feel poorly
BTW I wouldn't use but would understand the original 'look well'.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
old hand
|
|
old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027 |
I believe it's just a case of usage that's fallen out of favor. - not among more senior citizens: If "good looking" is a thing of the past, you can at least do something to look well .
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1
stranger
|
|
stranger
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1 |
Thank you!
My high school teacher physically illustrated what it meant to "feel badly." And of course, my boss and the COO of our company (who has his masters in English from Harvard!) continue to "feel badly" about things nearly every day.
I've felt so silly, sticking to my grounds of "feel bad" -- and now I see I'm not alone.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065 |
insel: In one among them, "Mrs. Klein looks *well* in that dress," he suggests "well" functions as an adjective. I would have thought its function was adverbial. Am I daft, or is he mistaken?
Ted: Ugh! I cannot imagine my using that construction in the context presented. Ugh!
But we aren't given any context. Why shouldn't 'well' mean 'in good health' in this contextless sentence? If Mrs. Klein has AIDS but looks more healthy because of the effect of the dress on her complexion or whatever, wouldn't the sentence be an appropriate thing to say?
Bingley
Bingley
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
Welcome, michellelisa!
Indeed, it's sad that your COO has a master's in English and still feels he has to overcorrect. Kudos to your English teacher.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 16
stranger
|
|
stranger
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 16 |
And if Mrs. Klein were fair featured and comely, would it be OK to compliment her on her well looks?
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,351
Members9,182
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
0 members (),
775
guests, and
0
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
