“He was right,” says Jesse stone-cold

Question

Can "stone-cold" be used as an adverb like that, or does there have to be a comma before it?

At dictionary.com, they have an example of it being an adverb (intensifier): stone-cold sober.

Is that different, though, than with my example, since it's not coming after a name tag, but rather before an adjective?

Thanks.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

SnarfCan "stone-cold" be used as an adverb like that, or does there have to be a comma before it?

It reads very oddly without a comma...and I don't know what it means.

SnarfAt dictionary.com, they have an example of it being an adverb (intensifier): stone-cold sober. Is that different, though, than with my example, since it's not coming after a name tag, but rather before an adjective?

Different in what way?

Snarf · Answer

Mister Micawber SnarfCan "stone-cold" be used as an adverb like that, or does there have to be a comma before it?It reads very oddly without a comma...and I don't know what it means.SnarfAt dictionary.com, they have an example of it being an adverb (intensifier): stone-cold sober. Is that different, though, than with my example, since it's not coming after a name tag, but rather before an adjective?Different in what way?

You don't know what it means even with the comma there (therefore making it an adjective)? It means Jesse says it in a stone-cold manner, that is, both in his tone and facial expression: blankly, dryly and expressionless, almost frozen.

And by "different" I meant dictionary.com's example being different than mine because in my sentence it's not being used as an intensifier, but rather as a kind of afterthought.

Fivejedjon · Answer

SnarfYou don't know what it means even with the comma there (therefore making it an adjective)?

I didn't know what it meant, either.

Snarf It means Jesse says it in a stone-cold manner, that is, both in his tone and facial expression: blankly, dryly and expressionless, almost frozen.

I'm afraid it didn't mean that to me.

ps. I am a native speaker of BrE.

Snarf · Answer

Oh, I see now. Well, in the context that it's read in, which, if anything, is very warm in temperature, you'd know that by "stone-cold" I don't mean he's actually feeling cold.

Fivejedjon · Answer

"He was right, " says Jesse, coldly.

That sounds fine but it does suggest that if we were to use 'stone' here, we' need to say 'stone-coldly' -also unnatural, in my opinion.

Snarf · Answer

Well, there is no such word as "stone-coldly," and I don't think we need a comma after "Jesse" with just "coldly," since it's an adverb, not an adjective like "stone-cold" is.

Enoon · Answer

Please put your entire question in the text box.

SnarfCan "stone-cold" be used as an adverb like that, or does there have to be a comma before it?

No, and since the first answer was no, there is no second answer.

SnarfAt dictionary.com, they have an example of it being an adverb (intensifier): stone-cold sober.

That's right, but it only works when its adjective is there, with the hyphenated form you're trying to use alone.

"Stone" is the adverb. "Cold" is also an adverb, but it means something different from what you want here. This "cold" is an adjective. Jesse spoke coldly—there is no way around the "-ly". He might have spoken "stone coldly", with "stone" as an ordinary adverb, no hyphen needed or wanted.

All that is if you want to be all grammatical and everything so as not to upset your third-grade English teacher. In a hard-boiled detective story, I would have no problem with your version.

There are other ways out, of course. He might speak with his voice as cold as a marble bench at a nudist colony if you want to be funny. Maybe he said it icily (I like that word.)

Oh, yeah ... no comma. And be sparing with the tags. The dreaded Tom Swifty lies in wait for all beginning writers who consort with adverbs.

Snarf · Answer

enoon He might speak with his voice as cold as a marble bench at a nudist colony if you want to be funny. Maybe he said it icily (I like that word.)Oh, yeah ... no comma. And be sparing with the tags. The dreaded Tom Swifty lies in wait for all beginning writers who consort with adverbs.

I have no idea what Tom Swifty has to do with name tags (something I don't use every time if it's only two people talking, or it's obvious who the third party is that's speaking). Doesn't Tom Swifty just have to do with wellerisms? And do you mean no comma before "icily" or no comma before "stone-cold," which everybody is telling me would look strange without one there, because in this context it's definitely an adjective? It would be like writing, "...says Jesse dumbfounded." Obviously there would have to be a comma before "dumbfounded."

Enoon · Answer

SnarfI have no idea what Tom Swifty has to do with name tags (something I don't use every time if it's only two people talking, or it's obvious who the third party is that's speaking). Doesn't Tom Swifty just have to do with wellerisms?

Yes. Adverbs suck at best, and they can be dangerous. Not name tags, adverbs. I guess I was imprecise.

SnarfAnd do you mean no comma before "icily" or no comma before "stone-cold," which everybody is telling me would look strange without one there, because in this context it's definitely an adjective?

No comma before an adverb there. I didn't see why I should comment on the adjective because that is not what you meant. You aren't trying to say he was stone cold, you are saying he spoke that way. He didn't speak dumbfoundedly, either. Of course the adjective takes a comma.

Snarf · Answer

enoon No comma before an adverb there. I didn't see why I should comment on the adjective because that is not what you meant. You aren't trying to say he was stone cold, you are saying he spoke that way. He didn't speak dumbfoundedly, either. Of course the adjective takes a comma.

No, that's actually what I meant from the beginning: If I can't use it as an adverb in that way (since it's not being used as an intensifier), then I'll use it as an adjective by putting the comma there (and stone-cold is usually used as an adjective, anyway). In this case, the adjective would be describing the way he spoke or at least seemed. Just like any other adjective would, like "dumbfounded," "bewildered," "baffled," "drunk," "befuddled," etc.; you get my point. I wouldn't have to turn them into adverbs if I simply put a comma before them (hence keeping them adjectives), so I figured I'd just do it for this too, since, as you said, it can't grammatically be used as an adverb.

“He was right,” says Jesse stone-cold

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