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Riglos Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

hopefully

Hi everybody!

I know that "hopefully" is wrongly used in the following sentence, but could you explain why?:

Hopefully, the economy will strengthen in the next few years.

Thanks a lot!

Mara
  

Top answer

Hello Riglos The sense of "hopefully" in your sentence is "It is hoped that"; it acts as an adverbial for the whole sentence. g. 1.

— MrPedantic

  • Hello Riglos The sense of "hopefully" in your sentence is "It is hoped that"; it acts as an adverbial for the whole sentence.
  • g.
  • 1.
  • " => 2.
  • " MrP
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4 Answers
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Hello Riglos

The sense of "hopefully" in your sentence is "It is hoped that"; it acts as an adverbial for the whole sentence.

Those who object to this usage propose that "hopefully" properly means "full of hope" or "in a hopeful fashion", and qualifies the verb as an adverb of manner, e.g.

1. "The economy will strengthen hopefully in the next few years." =>
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So, is it right, then? Because I see no reason why "the economy" shouldn't strengthen in a hopeful manner, i.e., hopeful for the people.

Regards,

Mara

PS: Or is it that "hopeful" could only be used with people as subjects (i.e, I / you / we / they, etc.)?
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Well, my own opinion is that "hopefully" is fine in both kinds of sentence:

1. Hopefully, we'll have a good summer this year. ("It is hoped that we will have a good summer this year.")

2. She looked hopefully in my direction, as I opened another bottle. ("Full of hope, she looked in my direction...")

But many people do object to #1, on the grounds you suggest!

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MrPedantic
Maybe someone will put the case against "hopefully" better than I can.

MrP

No can do.

I wonder if those who object to 'hopefully' as a modifier for the entire sentence would object to 'unfortunately', in the same place.

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