Adverb modifying

Question

Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages (i.e., those derived from Latin) – particularly Spanish, Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken.

I assume 'variably' modifies 'are spoken'...

But what does it mean? That French is only sometimes primarily spoken in Latin America?

Thanks

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages (i.e., those derived from Latin) – particularly Spanish, Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken.

I assume 'variably' modifies 'are spoken'...

I would say 'variably' modifies 'French' in the same way that 'particularly' modifies 'Spanish, Poruguese'.

But what does it mean? I have no idea. That French is only sometimes primarily spoken in Latin America?

With its use of both parentheses and dashes, it's not a well-constructed sentence.

Best wishes, Clive

English 1b3 · Answer

CliveI would say 'variably' modifies 'French' in the same way that 'particularly' modifies 'Spanish, Poruguese'.

But 'variably' is an adverb and thus cannot modify a noun, such as French... Or are you going to say French is an adjective modifying the implied 'language'?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages (i.e., those derived from Latin) – particularly Spanish, Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken.

I was waiting for you to say that.

I think you are being too rigid in your definition of an adverb.

Here's what my dictionary says (slightly edited, amd with my pink).

adverb: A word or phrase that modifies or qualifies another word (especially an adjective, verb or other adverb) or a word group

Look at the way the sentence is written. Look how far the word 'particularly' is from 'are . . . spoken'. Look at how the whole phrase particularly Spanish, Portuguese, and variably French is written between dashes, as a parenthetical interjection.

Best wishes, Clive

English 1b3 · Answer

CliveI think you are being too rigid in your definition of an adverb.

This is one of the first grammar rules I ever learned. Adjectives modify nouns. Adverbs modify adjectives or other adverbs, or sentences.

Is there another way we can analyse this or am I going to have to abandon what has been ever so engrained into me?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

You could probably come up with a lot of theoretically ellipted words.

But really, I think language is not guided 100% by rules. I try as hard as I can to avoid using the word 'rules'. I prefer the more flexible term 'guidelines'. Other people have other philosophies.

Clive

Adverb modifying

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