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6-2015 Spring Cleaning Part II Tenielle Fordyce-Ruff Concordia University School of Law, [email protected]

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CU Commons Citation Tenielle Fordyce-Ruff, Spring Cleaning Part II, Advocate, June 2015, at 56.

This is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Law at CU Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Scholarship by an authorized administrator of CU Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Spring Cleaning Part II Tenielle Fordyce-Ruff his spring I’ve been busy cleaning out my closets and organizing my garage. I’ve also turned my atten- T tion to catching up on my reading — perusing writing blogs I haven’t visited in ages and diving into wonderful articles on legal writ- ing. Aside from learning, and reading some truly wonderful writing, one of the joys of all this reading is that I’m reminded of “rules” that great writ- ers have thrown away. So once again, in the spirit of spring-cleaning, let’s look at some writing “rules” you can jettison to the trash heap. Quick! Writer better She has written more than 40 writing We are all good articles. Last summer, the legal writing How may times have you paused professor listserve was atwitter dis- She can walk over 20 miles in a day, when someone asks how you are to cussing Weird Al’s new song and even if she runs poorly! figure out if you should respond with video “Word Crimes.” The video Most grammar guides long ago “I am good” or “I am well”? The shows the singer adding an “ly” to got over this distinction. The Chi- confusion as to your response comes street signs so they now read Drive cago Manual of Style no longer sub- because good is an and well Slowly. scribes to this “rule,” and the Associ- is an , and we all learned that Turns out, Weird Al isn’t a gram- ated Press announced last year that it you need to use an adverb to modify mar expert . We likely all learned that was ditching the distinction. a . end in “ly” and like Weird Al,

I run poorly. believe those pesky road signs con- The rule is all good and well for tain a grammatical error. Oh, but action , but doesn’t apply to a wait. linking verb. Linking verbs (to be, to There is a class of adverbs known seem, to appear) describe a state, not as flat adverbs. These words function an action. These verbs can take ad- as adverbs without the “ly.” Some At some point, you were likely jectives. Thus, it’s perfectly accept- flat adverbs have no “ly” form, some able to write that someone is good. taught that when discussing Remember, too, that some sens- function the same in both the flat quantity you should use more and the “ly” form, and some have dis- ing verbs can function as both action than and when discussing spatial tinct meanings depending on which verbs and linking verbs (to smell, too dimensions you should use over. feel). The choice of adverb or adjec- form you use. tive actually clues the reader into Here’s a helpful chart on the next how the verb is functioning. page.1 He smells good. (He showered and has on cologne.) Get over it already He smells well. (He has an acute sense At some point, you were likely of smell.) taught that when discussing quan- She feels bad. (She has regret.) tity you should use more than and She feels badly. (Her fingertips don’t when discussing spatial dimensions work correctly.) you should use over.

56 The Advocate • June/July 2015 So feel free to write, “She has tried Same Meaning Distinct Meanings No “ly” form over 50 cases” (if that’s true). Unless, Bright: This word is interchange- Clean: This usage is distinct Far: This flat adverb has no -ly of course, your writing needs to be able with brightly in sentences from the -ly form: The idiomatic form: “You will go far in life.” more formal or you believe your au- such as “The stars shine so bright expression “Come clean” doesn’t on moonless nights.” have the same sense as the literal dience might still follow this “rule” phrase “Come cleanly shaved.” keep the distinction between more Deep: This term can be inter- Close: The flat form and the nor- Fast: Fast is another flat adverb and over. changeable with the -ly form mal form have related but differ- with no normal equivalent: (“Breathe deep” and “Breathe ent meanings: “Keep close,” but “Run fast.” deeply” are identical in mean- “Keep closely arrayed in forma- is that? ing), but it also has a distinct idi- tion.” omatic usage: “Go deep.” Turns out that using that to refer Quick: This flat adverb is in- Flat: The flat and normal senses Soon: This flat adverb has no to a person is perfectly correct. Yep, terchangeable with its normal of this term are similar but dis- -ly equivalent: “Come again you read that right: Both of these equivalent: “Come quick” and tinct: “I was turned down flat,” soon.” sentences are correct. “Come quickly” mean the same but “I was flatly refused.” thing. She’s a crazy lady who loves to write Sharp: Sharp and its normal Hard: Hard and its -ly form are Tough: This adverb is also about writing. form are interchangeable (“Dress highly distinct in meaning: “I hit without a normal version: sharp,” or “Dress sharply”), but it hard” is almost the opposite of “Hang tough.” She’s a crazy lady that loves to write there’s also a distinct flat-form “I hardly hit it.” about writing. meaning: “Show up at eight o’clock sharp.” Now, you don’t have to never use Slow: Slow and slowly are in- Kind: Kind and kindly have who to refer to a person. In fact, feel terchangeable: “Drive slow” and slightly different roles: “Be kind,” free to continue to do so. Just rec- “Drive slowly” mean the same but “Think kindly of her.” ognize that the choice between who thing. and that is a matter of style, not a Right: Right and rightly have different senses: “Do right,” “Stay “grammar rule.” right there,” or “He aimed right for the target,” but “You are right- Conclusion ly upset.” I’m heading back to my reading.

I hope you enjoyed these tips and Endnotes can use them to clean up your writ- 1. Mark Nichol, Flat Adverbs Are Flat-Out 2 ing. Useful, Daily Writing Tips, available at: http://www.dailywritingtips.com/flat- Sources adverbs-are-flat-out-useful/ l Lauren Davis, 10 Grammar Mis- 2. For other grammar “rules” to jettison, takes People Love to Correct (That see my article in the May 2011 edition of Aren’t Actually Wrong), available The Advocate: Do Some Spring-Cleaning: Deep: This term can be at: http://io9.com/10-grammar- Throw Out Grammar Myths. interchangeable with the -ly form mistakes-people-love-to-correct- (“Breathe deep” and “Breathe that-arent-1646176479?utm_ About the Author campaign=socialflow_ deeply” are identical in meaning), io9_facebook&utm_ but it also has a distinct idiomatic source=io9_facebook&utm_ Tenielle Fordyce-Ruff is an As- medium=socialflow#. sistant Professor of Law and the Di- usage: “Go deep.” l Mark Nichol, Flat Adverbs Are Flat- rector of the Legal Research and Writ- Out Useful, Daily Writing Tips, avail- ing Program at Concordia University able at: http://www.dailywritingtips. School of Law in Boise. She is also Of com/flat-adverbs-are-flat-out-useful/. Counsel at Fisher l Mignon Fogarty, “More Than” Rainey Hudson. Vs. “Over”: A Big Change at the As- You can reach her sociated Press, available at: http:// at tfordyce@ cu- www.quickanddirtytips.com/ education/grammar/more-than-vs- portland.edu or over-a-big-change-at-the-associated- http://cu-portland. press#sthash.4FhJhggd.dpuf. fice.com.

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