| Title: | The Joy of Lex |
| Notice: | A Notes File even your grammar could love |
| Moderator: | THEBAY::SYSTEM |
| Created: | Fri Feb 28 1986 |
| Last Modified: | Mon Jun 02 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 1192 |
| Total number of notes: | 42769 |
Have a serious question for once...
When changing an adjective to an adverb, the rule is usually to
add the letters "ly". However, occasionally, one must add "ally".
(Note that "occasionally" is not such a case, since the adjective
is "occasional".)
The question is: "What is the rule for when to use "ally" instead
of "ly"?
My initial looking at it points to adjectives ending in "ic", such
as "basic". The adverb form is "basically". Some other words are
drastic
enthusiastic
Is this the only case, and if so can a reason be found?
-Al
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300.1 | VMSDEV::SZETO | Gladly The Cross-Eyed Bear | Fri Jan 16 1987 21:18 | 4 | |
I don't know. But 'publicly' does not end in 'ally.'
--Simon
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| 300.2 | "I'll print it exactly", he wrote sicly. | BAEDEV::RECKARD | Tue Feb 03 1987 06:42 | 0 | |
| 300.3 | Ally, the noun | DELNI::CANTOR | Dave C. | Sun Aug 30 1987 05:16 | 10 |
I don't know about the suffix '-ally,' but I do know about
the word 'ally.' My high school history (not English, history)
teacher said that some people pronounce it with the accent
on the first syllable and some with the accent on the second,
but she told us how to pronounce it correctly:
If someone tells you that it should be pronounced al'ly, just
remember that it is a lie.
Dave C.
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| 300.4 | Maybe so, maybe not! | DSSDEV::STONE | Roy | Mon Aug 31 1987 09:44 | 16 |
Re: .3 -< Ally, the noun >-
My schooling, which appears to be confirmed by my dictionary, is
that there are two "correct" pronunciations, each of which may be
used for either of two contexts in which the word can be used.
However, the _preferred_ pronunciation shifts from one to the other
depending on the context.
When used as a noun to indicate a close associate the emphasis is
on the first syllable: al'ly. When used as a verb to indicate
the uniting into a formal relationship, the emphasis may shift to
the latter syllable: al-ly'.
I'm sure Dave's history teacher meant well, but I get uncomfortable
when anyone tries to tell me that there is _only_ one correct way
to do something. Presumed authority is not infallible.
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