Adverbs

“sign and drive”

Adverbs, Common English Blunders, Conjunctions, Devolution toward Simpler

This phrase is the starting point of a Volkswagen TV commercial.

Problem:
The conjunction “and” is used even though the adverb “then” is what is meant.

Explanation:
This humorous TV ad begins with a Volkswagen spokesman inviting viewers to attend VW’s “sign and drive” event. The ad then shows future VW customers signing documents on clipboards while they attempt to navigate an automotive obstacle course, presumably at a VW dealership. The drivers obviously are distracted by the task of signing documents; they drive over traffic cones and almost crash into one another. Upon seeing the driving problems, a man in a suit whispers into the VW spokesman’s ear, and the spokesman then announces an “even better” event called the Volkswagen “sign THEN drive” event.

The common English blunder here, which VW illustrated very well, is using the conjunction “and” when the adverb “then” is what is meant. The problem with “and” between two verbs is that it can be (and should be) interpreted as implying parallel, not sequential, actions. Replacing “and” with “then” ensures a sequential-actions meaning.

Unfortunately, many use “and” when they should use “then”. I believe that the use of “and” instead of “then” when the latter is appropriate represents a laziness that favors easier-to-pronounce words. The word “and” is easier than the word “then” to say.

Solution:
“sign THEN drive”

“which is very fun”

Adjectives, Adverbs, Common English Blunders, Nouns

I heard this last night in a television advertisement during which someone associated with the TV show “nip/tuck” was discussing the joy of the show satirizing itself.

Problem:
Although the American Herritage Dictionary says that “fun” is sometimes used informally as an attributive adjective, “fun” traditionally is a noun.

Explanation:
The speaker used the word “very” as an adverb to intensify an adjective, but the word “fun” traditionally is a noun. Use of “fun” as an adjective is still noted in dictionaries as an informal use. Although such expressions as “a fun time” [sic] started to appear in the 1950s and 1960s, this use of “fun” as an adjective should be avoided, especially in writing. If “fun” is properly used as a noun, then it requires an adjective, not an adverb, to modify it.

Solution:
“which is much fun”

“Literally, we’re bursting out of the walls.”

Adverbs, Common English Blunders, Versus

I heard this from an apartment dweller in an HGTV television program.

Problem:
The adverb “literally” is incorrect here.

Explanation:
A bad habit has developed among many English speakers to use “literally” when “figuratively” is the correct adverb. They use “literally” as an intensifier. Unfortunately, this negates the true meaning of “literally”, which is actually, without exaggeration. The speaker in the above program was trying to say that she, her husband and her child had outgrown their small apartment. However, they still resided within the walls of their apartment, and the walls were still intact. The correct adverb to describe this situation is “figuratively”. The family had not literally burst out of the walls. Instead, the family had figuratively burst out of the walls.

I believe that the use of “literally” instead of “figuratively” represents

  • carelessness with word meanings,
  • a belief that “literally” sounds better than “figuratively”, and
  • a laziness that favors shorter, fewer-syllable words over longer words.

Not only does “figuratively” have more syllables than “literally” has (five syllables vs. four syllables), but it also is more difficult to say. Throw in the abusive overuse of “literally” and the fact that it sounds more “literary”, and it’s no wonder that many English speakers choose it (incorrectly) instead of “figuratively”.

Solution:
“Figuratively, we’re bursting out of the walls.”