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Quote:

"Look!" suddenly exclaimed Ned. "There's the agent now! ... I'm going to speak to him!" impulsively declared Ned.




This kind of thing has recently become very unfashionable. Writing guides completely agree on the point:

Quote:

Excess adverbiage reflects the style of an immature writer


.

Some brag happily of having rarely used an adverb. And, while I feel initially a certain resistance to this aversion to the adverb, I actually cannot easily find a sentence which is not slightly or greatly improved by simply omitting the adverb.

Where do you stand?

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When you need an adverb, use an adverb. When you don't, don't.

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"One rarely needs an adverb," he responded occasionally.

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I agree; and yet two consecutive adverbs can produce (I think) a mellifluous double alveolar: "Molly rarely poorly uses an adverb."

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When you need an adverb, use an adverb. When you don't, don't.

Jeesh. It's just language. It's not like it's some kind of life threatening situatation or something.

#152183 12/18/05 09:57 AM
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When you need an adverb, use an adverb. When you don't, don't.

Jeesh. It's just language. It's not like it's some kind of life threatening situatation or something.




Faldage, why do your posts on this board so often attempt to foreclose debate? Is it because you have nothing interesting to say?

Last edited by Homo Loquens; 12/18/05 09:59 AM.
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Quote:

Quote:

When you need an adverb, use an adverb. When you don't, don't.

Jeesh. It's just language. It's not like it's some kind of life threatening situatation or something.




Faldage, why do your posts on this board so often attempt to foreclose debate? Is it because you have nothing interesting to say?




Lighten up, HL. How can one person close debate with a single remark like this? I think your question is out of line and impolite. Personal insults are not necessary.

Does anyone remember Tom Swifties?

"I'll take the prisoner downstairs," said Tom condescendingly.

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Faldage, why do your posts on this board so often attempt to foreclose debate? Is it because you have nothing interesting to say?




You mean, like this?

http://wordsmith.org/board/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=155408

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Quote:

You mean, like this? http://wordsmith.org/board/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=155408




Yes, just like that.

Consider: I asked his reasons for attempting to foreclose a debate, and volunteered it was because he has nothing interesting to say. You remember I have also attempted to foreclose a "debate", and in your impatience to expose me as a hypocrite (which your hasty interpretation of the facts leads you to assume I am) commit a fallacy of false assumption.

Annastrophic: "A thinks B does C because of D. A does C. Therefore, A does C because of D."

Let me resolve the apparent hypocrisy for you : The opposite cause to that which I imputed the foreclosure of debate in his case to in my case is the foreclosure of debate imputable to.

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> The opposite cause to that which I imputed the foreclosure of debate in his case to in my case is the foreclosure of debate imputable to.

...the common features of which are your overwheening arrogance and rudeness. Why do you bother with this empty yapping?

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