This is a quite a minor oversight on the part of bioware but to an English Literature student such as I it can detract from the authenticity of the game espeically when "wise" character like Elminster use it.

I refer to the use of the word "Thusly". This word does not exsist. The word "thus" is a demonstrative adjective, the adage "ly" on the end of a VERB usually signifies an adverb (as in "slowly") but since "thus" is not a verb in the first instance the word "thusly" carries absolutely no meaning. This flagrant grammatical error should have been checked upon after the first game but SoA is still rife with the rougue adverb.

But! BG1 and 2 were set in Faerun. So perhaps they have different gramatical rules. Also it is set in the past (if paralleld to Earth) and so the language may have changed.

Are you sure it's an adjective? I was almost certain "thus" was an adverb.

You'll see "thusly" every now and again. Like so many other "words", it saw enough use to become accepted. "Thusly" is believed to have been coined by humourists who were impersonating poorly educated people attempting to sound stylish. Kinda like Lilarcor's "formal edumacation".

You want something that REALLY grates on your nerves? Saemon Havarian: "Such villainy I am subjected too!" Argh...

Parvini, get a decent dictionary. If you look up the word "thusly" you'll see that it's an adverb used colloquially.

To correct Parvini, the suffix '-ly' modifies an adjective, not a verb. Also, 'thus' is an adverb in the first place, and since '-ly' turns an adjective into an adverb, it has no effect on the word 'thus.' I have not found the word 'thusly' in either of two dictionaries that I consulted, so if it has been accepted in the latest unabridged dictionary, I hope there is a note saying that the word is, as Judas says: believed to have been coined by humourists who were impersonating poorly educated people attempting to sound stylish. Kinda like Lilarcor's "formal edumacation". This sounds like the best explanation, and 'colloquially' IS just a fancy word for 'informal,' which doesn't necessarilly mean 'correct.'

(Boy, I'm just ASKING to be banned, opposing Tal like that... But it's my opinion, so please stick to merely proving me wrong at every turn rather than kicking me from the boards! Please?)

Um, so where are you opposing me exactly? I was merely illustrating that the word existed, since Parvini said it did not. I never said it was correct. Not many things that are used colloquially ever are, after all.

And I've never banned anyone for proving me wrong yet. :lol:

Whilst I accept that "suffix" is preferable to "adage" the word "thusly" has not in any way been accepted into the Enlgish language and hence not into its dictionary. Perhaps Tal has an American dictionary because the differences between English and its tarnished American form are considerable. I've noticed the game has Amercian spellings of the words colour, honour and so on thusly we can conclude that it could be an issue of translation ;)

PS. Yes what was I thinking of "ly" modifies an adjective not a verb but since "thus" is demonstrative it can not be modified just as "that" and "this" couldn't. We'll be getting into semiotics next, ha ha.

[ August 12, 2002, 16:24: Message edited by: Parvini ]

:bigeyes: Thank you! :D You're so nice!

(I'm somewhat of a sociophobe, if that is even a word...)

Eh, now I've just gone and embarrassed myself. Hehehe he he!

No, my dictionary is very European... The only big English-Slovenian dictionary there is. I have it on my computer so I didn't bother checking any others. Strangely enough, I also checked Oxford's now and it doesn't have thusly listed. It's curious since my English-Slovenian dictionary is definitely a UK English-Slovenian, not US English-Slovenian.

But then again, this Oxford's hardly an edition that would contain all words, especially such that are only used colloquially.

Check this out:

thus·ly Pronunciation Key (thsl)
adv. Usage Problem

Thus.

Usage Note: Thusly was introduced in the 19th century as an alternative to thus in sentences such as Hold it thus or He put it thus. It appears to have first been used by humorists, who may have been echoing the speech of poorly educated people straining to sound stylish. The word has subsequently gained some currency in educated usage, but it is still often regarded as incorrect. A large majority of the Usage Panel found it unacceptable in an earlier survey. In formal writing thus can still be used as in the examples above; in other styles this way, like this, and other such expressions are more natural.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Well you learn something everyday! Strange that it would be in that Slovenian translation dictionary and not in the Oxford though, out of interest Tal why have you got a Slovenian dictionary?

Of course.