Comments on: “I Don’t Get No Respect,” Said the Adverb, Bitterly. http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/ Feminist, anti-racist, pro-fat, plus whatever else we feel like talking about. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:24:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Links « Stuff http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340255 Links « Stuff Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:34:55 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340255 [...] thoughts, my world « Stupidity Is Infinite Links Wednesday, 17. September 2008 Jeff Fecke writes about adverbs. [Btw, you can read the first chapters of his new (first?) book here. Don't be afraid, it's all [...] [...] thoughts, my world « Stupidity Is Infinite Links Wednesday, 17. September 2008 Jeff Fecke writes about adverbs. [Btw, you can read the first chapters of his new (first?) book here. Don't be afraid, it's all [...]

]]> By: Lilytiger http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340121 Lilytiger Sat, 13 Sep 2008 20:10:33 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340121 I always say that the British sound more educated by not speaking through their noses and the use of adverbs. I love adverbs. Also because they usually are but no matter... I am partial to "whom", as well. Heh I always say that the British sound more educated by not speaking through their noses and the use of adverbs. I love adverbs.

Also because they usually are but no matter…

I am partial to “whom”, as well. Heh

]]> By: allison http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340012 allison Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:26:17 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340012 Yeah, darn that Stephen King anyway!! (she said sarcastically). Yeah, darn that Stephen King anyway!! (she said sarcastically).

]]> By: RonF http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340007 RonF Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:24:38 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340007 I read every damn Tom Swift book when I was a kid. One of my teachers in 5th or 6th grade had them all in a book case and I put them behind my other books and read them during class. I read every damn Tom Swift book when I was a kid. One of my teachers in 5th or 6th grade had them all in a book case and I put them behind my other books and read them during class.

]]> By: Original Lee http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340001 Original Lee Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:35:55 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340001 Whenever I suffer from adverb withdrawal, I play Tom Swifties with the text. Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine! Whenever I suffer from adverb withdrawal, I play Tom Swifties with the text. Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine!

]]> By: Nick Kiddle http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340000 Nick Kiddle Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:24:27 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-340000 I'm a terrible fence-sitter on this one. On the one hand, I can still remember how someone suggested I should say "plodded" instead of "put one foot in front of the other mechanically", when plodded did not remotely convey the way the character in question was moving. On the other hand, it's a slippery slope towards writing like JK Rowling, who really does overdo it. The worst example I can think of went something like: "Oh yeah, Voldemort really loves me," said Harry sarcastically. I’m a terrible fence-sitter on this one. On the one hand, I can still remember how someone suggested I should say “plodded” instead of “put one foot in front of the other mechanically”, when plodded did not remotely convey the way the character in question was moving. On the other hand, it’s a slippery slope towards writing like JK Rowling, who really does overdo it. The worst example I can think of went something like: “Oh yeah, Voldemort really loves me,” said Harry sarcastically.

]]> By: Auguste http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-339999 Auguste Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:19:10 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-339999 <blockquote>Look, I’m not saying adverbs can’t be overused; everything can be overused. If every character is saying something wearily, hastily, angrily, warily…well, it can get a bit much.</blockquote> Jeff Fecke, meet JK Rowling. JK Rowling, meet Jeff Fecke. ...I actually do have a point: If JK Rowling really "saved reading" for a generation of kids, I'd guess that the next generation is going to quite handily resurrect the adverb, and they may not even know why.

Look, I’m not saying adverbs can’t be overused; everything can be overused. If every character is saying something wearily, hastily, angrily, warily…well, it can get a bit much.

Jeff Fecke, meet JK Rowling. JK Rowling, meet Jeff Fecke.

…I actually do have a point: If JK Rowling really “saved reading” for a generation of kids, I’d guess that the next generation is going to quite handily resurrect the adverb, and they may not even know why.

]]> By: Lu http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-339996 Lu Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:42:07 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-339996 Well said! Well said!

]]> By: Tapetum http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-339993 Tapetum Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:32:27 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/09/09/i-dont-get-no-respect-said-the-adverb-bitterly/#comment-339993 Spot on, Jeff! My on-line writers' group (recently shut down, alas) had several members who were anti-adverb, and I just couldn't get their point. An adverb is no more or less cluttery than an adjective, and should be subject to the same test - to wit, if removing it leaves the sentence impoverished, it was serving a useful function. Now if it can be replaced by using a more precise verb, then obviously the better verb should be used, just as for an adjective shouldn't be used to bolster up a pallid noun - but that's a problem with the author's selection of verbs and nouns, not a problem with the adverbs and adjectives per se. On a side note: loved the Hemmingway reference. I loathe dear Ernest's writing with a tremendous passion. Some of his shorts were decent reading, but I'd rather carve my eyes out with sporks than be forced to read another of his novels. Spot on, Jeff!

My on-line writers’ group (recently shut down, alas) had several members who were anti-adverb, and I just couldn’t get their point. An adverb is no more or less cluttery than an adjective, and should be subject to the same test - to wit, if removing it leaves the sentence impoverished, it was serving a useful function. Now if it can be replaced by using a more precise verb, then obviously the better verb should be used, just as for an adjective shouldn’t be used to bolster up a pallid noun - but that’s a problem with the author’s selection of verbs and nouns, not a problem with the adverbs and adjectives per se.

On a side note: loved the Hemmingway reference. I loathe dear Ernest’s writing with a tremendous passion. Some of his shorts were decent reading, but I’d rather carve my eyes out with sporks than be forced to read another of his novels.

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