tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post7877077399865852702..comments2024-03-14T10:31:26.918+00:00Comments on DCblog: On being superiorDChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192779827863835310noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-64800020158702933412008-08-27T18:04:00.000+00:002008-08-27T18:04:00.000+00:00Ok, thank you. I was a little confused because I f...Ok, thank you. I was a little confused because I found in my copy of Fowler's Modern English Usage (second edition) that he - Fowler - recommends "slower/est" for the comparative and superlative forms of the adverb.<BR/><BR/>But then, as I say, I was corrected when I said: "drive slower" (and told to say: "drive more slowly").<BR/><BR/>So I suppose I was looking for a tie-break. Thanks for that!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-77509934453601364432008-08-27T09:03:00.000+00:002008-08-27T09:03:00.000+00:00This is different. Both slower and more slowly are...This is different. Both <I>slower</I> and <I>more slowly</I> are found, but only the latter is accepted as standard English. And because standard English is spoken only by a minority of people, you're likely to encounter the non-standard usage often in everyday settings. The same point applies, incidentally, to <I>slow</I> and <I>slowly</I>: <I>We have to drive slow(ly) through the roadworks</I>.DChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10192779827863835310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-2610639804963224612008-08-22T12:14:00.000+00:002008-08-22T12:14:00.000+00:00Hi, I have a question about comparatives. I was co...Hi, I have a question about comparatives. I was corrected the other day when I said: "you should drive SLOWER". I was told that it should be "...MORE SLOWLY". I tried to apply the sort of procedure that your "superior" correspondent used to see what to make of this. What I am trying to see (I think!) is whether "slower" is grammatical as the comparative form of the adverb. Obviously, it's ok for a comparative ADJECTIVE:<BR/><BR/>"He is slower than I am"<BR/><BR/>But can it be used as a comparative adverb? Comparing it with "stranger" would suggest not:<BR/><BR/>(1) He is stranger than I am ("stranger" = comparative form of adjective)<BR/><BR/>(2) He speaks stranger than I do <BR/><BR/>I'm not sure, but I have the feeling that it should be "more strangely" in (2) and so "stranger" cannot be a comparative adverb. DOes the same apply to "slower" (and "quicker")? Or are they in a way like "superior" in being exceptional with regard to the comparative and superlative forms?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com