Someone observed to us the other day that the adverb is dead. These days someone is more likely to run quick, smile bright, move slow, rather than quickly, brightly or slowly.
We are not sure why this has happened but it has … and we think we are the poorer for it.
Sadly, it appears that The Adverb is Dead.
lyrics
Once upon a time, they danced on the page,
Quietly, softly, in every phrase.
Modifiers strong, they ruled the line,
But now they’ve faded, left us behind.
No more slowly, gently, quickly said,
A whisper through the ages: The adverb is dead.
The adverb is dead, long live the verb,
Let the action speak, let the nouns be heard.
No need for a crutch, let the meaning spread,
We’ll write it sharp, ’cause the adverb is dead.
Overused and weak, they cluttered the prose,
Filling up space where the sentence froze.
We bid them farewell, it’s time to refine,
Let the verbs take charge, let the words align.
No more softly, brightly, sweetly said,
The writer’s revolution: The adverb is dead.
The adverb is dead, long live the verb,
Let the story breathe, let the truth be heard.
No need for fluff, let the meaning spread,
We’ll write it sharp, ’cause the adverb is dead.
Oh, the echoes of “quickly,” the ghosts of “well,”
They whisper in shadows, with tales to tell.
But we’ve learned to trust in what’s unsaid,
To show, not tell, ’cause the adverb is dead.
The adverb is dead, long live the verb,
Paint it bold, let the silence be heard
No need for “quietly” when meaning is bred,
We’ll let it breathe, ’cause the adverb is dead.
So here’s to the verbs, the nouns, the strong,
To writing with purpose, where words belong.
We’ll write it fiercely, we’ll write it true,
The adverb is dead – this one’s for you.