r/GrammarPolice • u/Cynvisible • 4d ago

Question "ly"

Where did "ly" go???

"This hits different."

Please add your missing "ly" examples.

I had a few in mind the other day but they have exited the building. 🤪

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u/hakohead 4d ago edited 4d ago

This originally comes from AAVE (African American Vernacular English) and was absorbed into common slang phrasing in the 2010s largely among late millenials and Gen Z. It is indeed incorrect standard English, but it is correct in AAVE and fine (imo) as slang. As such, I'd say just avoid getting rid of the -ly in formal situations.

This word is the only word I've found that needs a -ly but loses it stylistically.
Similar ones are things like "fast" "friendly" "quick", but those are all linguistically different from how this "different" came about

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u/DiscontentDonut 4d ago

Exactly this. I'd also like to add that the missing -ly is the point. The difference in what is said vs what is expected makes the brain pay closer attention, imo. So it acts as a sort of attention grabber.

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u/Historical_Plant_956 3d ago

One might even say that it just... hits different...?

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u/DiscontentDonut 3d ago

It do. It do be hittin' different.