Does the word "motionlessly" exist at all?

Question

My colleagues and I came upon a test question which reads "The patient lay ____ in bed." The choices for the blank include "motionless" and "motionlessly." As the subjective complement of the sentence, "motionless" is obviously the answer.

However, we began to wonder if the word "motionlessly" could actually be used to modify any verb, since very few verbs are really motionless. Besides, such verbs as "lie," "sit," or "stand," always go with "motionless." We couldn't think of any verb that can go with the adverb form.

After googling, we got the sentence, "he saw the black-haired man waiting MOTIONLESSLY behind the opposite side of the platform." Shouldn't we use objective complement "motionless" here in the sentence?

Thanks in advance.

Paco2004 · Accepted Answer

OED says;

motionlessly
adv. [motionless (a.) + -ly] without motion, stilly; in a motionless manner.

1887 W. James in Pop. Sci. Monthly June 170 It is the very same instinct which leads a boy playing 'I spy' to hold his very breath when the seeker is near, and which makes the beast of prey motionlessly lie in wait for his victim.

paco

Pieanne · Answer

Yes, it does exist, along with "motionlessness".

Glee · Answer

Now I'm really confused. Is "lie + S.C." a misconception of mine? Or maybe there is no difference between "lie motionless" and "lie motionlessly"?

Pieanne · Answer

"lay motionlessly" sounds weird to me, I'd choose "lay motionless"
The verb is a stative one, and the adjective looks better.
On the other hand, you can DO something "motionlessly", eg read, watch etc

Paco2004 · Answer

Hello Glee and Ms Tarte

"Lie" has two senses/usages;
(1) get oneself into a flat or horizontal posture. [action verb]
[In this sense the verb can be in the construct : S+V+adverb]
(2) remain in a certain state/posture. [stative verb]
[In this sense the verb can be in the construct : S+V+adjective]

The difference is too subtle for us ESL to get.
But I'm wondering:
How can you get yourself into a posture 'motionlessly'?
Sometimes I feel English is an illogical language.

paco

Pieanne · Answer

I agree, but even if we consider this meaning of "lie": assume a reclining position; "lie down on the bed until you feel better" , it's hard to do it "motionlessly".

MrPedantic · Answer

A person with psychokinetic powers might motionlessly move objects.

Off to assume a reclining position now.

MrP

Glee · Answer

I see. Really grateful.

I guess then we can make sentences like:
"He hid motionlessly in the dark, awaiting his would-be victim," or
"Motionlessly he fixed his eyes on his prey before launching an attack."

The adverb "motionlessly" is not as rarely used as I had thought.

Anonymous · Answer

These posts are really old and I'm not a native speaker, but after reading them I felt I wanted to contribute something.

Why would a person not be capable of "lying motionlessly", let's say "the boy lies motionlessly behind the bush, hidden, waiting for the seeker", to go with the quote above. And I don't mean the action of lying down (how someone would do that motionlessly is beyond me), but the status of already lying somewhere.

The boy could lie there on his stomach, watching his surroundings carefully, not breathing, keeping his legs, arms and head absolutely still, which qualifies the "lying" as "motionless" and demands the adverb "motionlessly". The alternative would be the boy lying behind the bush on his stomach, not being careful, kicking his limbs around and making the bush rock by sticking his head through the branches, so the seeker would see him immediately. The boy would still be lying (because he's on his stomach and not on his feet or knees), but the lying wouldn't be motionless.

Does the word "motionlessly" exist at all?

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