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Debpriya De Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Question on adverbs

1. Technically, you are right.
2. Unfortunately, I am your boss.
In the above sentences , are "technically" and "Unfortunately" normal adverbs or do they have some special significance when they come at the beginning of the sentence like dangling modifiers ?
  

Top answer

Hi, They are normal adverbs, but placing them at the start adds quite a lot of emphasis to them. Clive

— Clive

  • Hi, They are normal adverbs, but placing them at the start adds quite a lot of emphasis to them.
  • Clive
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7 Answers
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Hi,



They are normal adverbs, but placing them at the start adds quite a lot of emphasis to them.



Clive
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But what does "unfortunately" modify ?
It does not modify "boss" , so it must modify "am".
But can adverbs modify stative verbs ?
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Hi,

Think of it as modifying the group of words that form the statement.

The fact that 'I am your boss' is unfortunate.



Clive
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What about a sentence like " I am commercially the most successful actor" where the adverb "commercially" is placed neither at the beginning nor before the adjective phrase ?
What does it modify ?
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Debpriya De1. Technically, you are right.

2. Unfortunately, I am your boss.
In the above sentences , are "technically" and "Unfortunately" normal adverbs or do they have some special significance when they come at the beginning of the sentence like dangling modifiers ?

'Unfortunately' is a content disjunct. According to the
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Debpriya DeBut what does "unfortunately" modify ?
It's a sentential adverb, so it modifies the whole sentence.

CJ
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My interpreation
Debpriya De1. Technically, you are right. = from a technical point of view, you are completely correct. (BUT)

2. Unfortunately, I am your boss. = Even though you are right, I am still your boss (who makes the decision)

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