Adverbs

More about “Irregardless”

Adverbs, Common English Blunders, Self-negation

I came across a word — “irrespective” — that seems to explain how “irregardless” got coined.

Problem:
As I wrote last October, “irregardless” is meaningless in that it means the opposite of what is intended.

Explanation:
People use “irregardless” when they mean the adverb “regardless”.

I now believe that another source of confusion is the fact that “regardless” and “irrespective” have the same meaning.

Blend these two words together, and you get “irregardless”.

Solution:
“Regardless” or “Irrespective”

“Apply anytime weeds are actively growing.”

Adjectives, Adverbs, Common English Blunders

I saw this on a Scotts Bonus S fertilizer bag.

Problem:
An adjective was used where an adverbial phrase is required.

Explanation:
“Anytime” is an adjective.

It’s an anytime event to have Bill Clinton visit our donut shop. is an example of the proper use of “anytime”. The adjective “anytime” tells the reader/listener the what type of event it is to have Bill Clinton visit the writer/speaker’s donut shop.

As you start to read the notice on the fertilizer bag — “Apply anytime weeds” — it seems that you are supposed to apply a particular type of weed (“anytime weeds”).

This makes no sense, especially when you then read “are actively growing.”

Some readers might unconsciously drop in “that” to get “Apply anytime weeds that are actively growing.”

Huh? What’s an anytime weed, and why should I apply actively growing ones to my lawn?!

Instead, the writer of the notice wants to tell you when to apply the fertilizer, not when to apply the “anytime weeds”.

What’s needed in the notice on the bag is the adverbial phrase “any time”, which is equivalent to “whenever”.

Getting stuck in the longest line happens any time that I try to pick the shortest line at the grocery store. is an example of the proper use of “any time”. The adverbial phrase “any time” tells the reader/listener when the writer/speaker gets stuck in the longest line.

Solution:
“Apply any time weeds are actively growing.”

“Please … forward back to me …”

Adverbs, Verbs

Huh? I saw this in an email message.

Problems:
The adverb contradicts the verb in the sentence, and the implied object of the verb should be provided.

Explanation:
The sentence in the email message was along the lines of “Please review the document, identify any defects in the attached log, and forward [the log] back to me by 12 PM CT on 3/20/2008.”

The adverb “back” contradicts the verb “forward” in the sentence. The solution to this first problem is replace “forward back” with “return”.

I believe that the writer of the email message was thinking “return back” — because, as I’ve written earlier, so many people today erroneously follow the verb “return” with the redundant “back” — and then replaced “return” with “forward” to get “forward back”.

Replacing “forward back” with “return” is insufficient, though. What’s missing is the object of the verb “return”. The solution to this second problem is to put “the log” immediately after the verb “return” to get “return the log”.

Some might argue that “return it” instead of “return the log” would be sufficient, but others may rightfully argue that “it” could refer either to the earlier “the attached log” or to the even earlier “the document”, which could lead to confusion among some readers.

Solution:
“Please … return the log to me …”