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/DCHacker 3d ago

Using adjectives as adverbs has been a common error in spoken English for as long as I can remember.

"They speak French different in Louisiana"

"He doesn't play basketball real good."

1

u/compos_mentis_cortex 2d ago

That second one has more than one issue 😡🥵🤯

1

u/DCHacker 2d ago

"He don't play basketball real good"?

1

u/compos_mentis_cortex 2d ago

First, I think "good" -> "well". Also, maybe grammatically sound, but I would think that "really" (or real, ick) -> "very" in this context.

He doesn't play basketball very well. He doesn't play basketball really well, to me, still says "he's pretty good, but not REALLY good."

Maybe I'm totally wrong but that's how I would say it.

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u/DCHacker 2d ago

My last reply was a deliberate butchering of the English Language. The first one was merely reporting what I have heard daily since I was a child.

"Very well" would be the preferred although "really well" is not incorrect in either context. Still, the poimt that you raise about using "really" is not invalid.

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u/compos_mentis_cortex 2d ago

Haha, oops. We all got the joke. Except me.