I just saw LuckyFool post a blog: "TvZ is a joke Currently."

This blog is not at all about the content of said blog. What I'm wondering is, is there a difference between

A: TvZ is a joke Currently

B: TvZ is currently a joke

I feel as if there is. However, the meaning seems to be exactly the same. Maybe I am just tripping out but this is really bugging me. There's something different about the two and I just can't put my finger on it.

Jinsho

United Kingdom3101 Posts

June 17 2012 23:00 GMT

In A the statement is emphasizing the word "joke".

In B the statement is emphasizing the "currently".

You get the difference now?

Probe1

United States17920 Posts

June 17 2012 23:00 GMT

The latter is correct.

husniack

203 Posts

June 17 2012 23:01 GMT

On June 18 2012 08:00 Jinsho wrote:
In A the statement is emphasizing the word "joke".

In B the statement is emphasizing the "currently".

You get the difference now?

I do, but if you think about the meaning, doesn't the meaning still seem to be the same? What if you took out the "currently."

Fishgle

United States2174 Posts

June 17 2012 23:05 GMT

TvZ is currently a joke. Currently, TvZ is a joke. TvZ is a joke currently. A joke, is TvZ currently. Currently a joke TvZ is. Currently is TvZ a joke. TvZ currently is a joke. A joke, currently, TvZ is. A joke, currently, is TvZ.

meh. as long as you get the point across. Wouldn't worry too much about syntax. English is a language where the order of words mattes, but there are many languages in which order doesn't matter, or at least is a lot more fluid. Do you speak any other language than english OP? Might help you not get mindfucked by this as much. English kinda forces you to think about the order of things.

For example: Is TvZ currently a joke =/= TvZ is currently a joke.

since feeling is first
who pays any attention
to the syntax of things
will never wholly kiss you

sam!zdat

United States5559 Posts

June 17 2012 23:12 GMT

I would not put that adverb at the end.

There's not really rules about this stuff, you just have to develop an ear for it.

If you say: Currently, TvZ is a joke, you are emphasizing the potential for change (ie temporariness)

If you say: TvZ is currently a joke, the emphasis is more on the jokiness

TvZ is a joke currently is not a very good sentence.

DarkPlasmaBall

United States45332 Posts

June 17 2012 23:12 GMT

OP, there is no difference between A and B.

If there were more words in the sentence, then rearranging adjectives and adverbs may change the meaning of a sentence (because then you may be describing or qualifying different things).

But from what you're asking, there's no difference in meaning.

sam!zdat

United States5559 Posts

June 17 2012 23:14 GMT

Sure, but it's unaesthetic

Jerubaal

United States7684 Posts

June 17 2012 23:53 GMT

You should learn the rules before you learn to break the rules.

[UoN]Sentinel

United States11320 Posts

June 18 2012 00:05 GMT

#10

Currently a joke TvZ is.

That would be Yoda.

But both would work, but I think A would make more sense written as "TvZ is a joke (currently)". It's a slightly different meaning, but that's what I think of when I see the words ordered like that.

Like everyone above me says, all matters on emphasis.

AiurZ

United States429 Posts

June 18 2012 01:14 GMT

#11

one of the function tests of adverbs is that they can be moved freely around the sentence

sam!zdat

United States5559 Posts

June 18 2012 01:20 GMT

#12

"freely" would be putting strongly it.

Archas

United States6531 Posts

June 18 2012 01:21 GMT

#13

On June 18 2012 08:53 Jerubaal wrote:
You should learn the rules before you learn to break the rules.

You know the rules, and so do I.

Gheed

United States972 Posts

June 18 2012 01:24 GMT

#14

Since you seem interested, "linguistic" is already an adjective, so adding "-al" to it is a hypercorrection.

[UoN]Sentinel

United States11320 Posts

June 18 2012 01:31 GMT

#15

On June 18 2012 10:14 AiurZ wrote:
one of the function tests of adverbs is that they can be moved freely around the sentence

Not really "freely".

Nearly is an adverb. In the sentence "My mouse is nearly out of batteries." Nearly describes "out". The only way I see the sentence making sense is "My mouse nearly is out of batteries.", and other than those 2 scenarios I don't see anything.

Gheed

United States972 Posts

June 18 2012 01:36 GMT

#16

On June 18 2012 10:31 [UoN]Sentinel wrote:

Show nested quote +

Nearly modifies is, not out.

Example of variable adverb placement:

I frequently enjoy bananas.
I enjoy bananas frequently.
Frequently, I enjoy bananas.
Frequently do I enjoy bananas.

sam!zdat

United States5559 Posts

June 18 2012 01:43 GMT

#17

I think nearly modifies "out" not "is"

edit: maybe you're right

docvoc

United States5491 Posts

June 18 2012 01:49 GMT

#18

People have already made comments about this, but its about what NrG.LuckyFool wanted to emphasize, and I'm going to guess he wanted to emphasize the "joke" part of his statement, therefore he wants to say its a joke currently, for two reasons: one is that since its in the middle of the sentence, it flows more obviously and will be modified and not turned into a modifier, which brings me to two, which is that currently modifies joke whereas if he were to say it is currently a joke, joke would modify what is currently and not visa versa. Its actually pretty awesome how well LuckyFool writes really, he says exactly what he means to say, which is more than i can say haha.

Gheed

United States972 Posts

June 18 2012 01:50 GMT

#19

Take a simpler sentence: My bucket is nearly full.

Nearly is modifying how full the bucket "is."

"Out of batteries" is serving to describe what his mouse nearly is.

Edit: this is not to say that adverbs cannot modify adjectives. However, in the case of being "out of something" or "full," those are binary states. So you can't be "almost out" of batteries. You are either out of batteries or you are not. You can "almost be" out of batteries or "be nearly" full, though.

sam!zdat

United States5559 Posts

June 18 2012 02:00 GMT

#20

On June 18 2012 10:50 Gheed wrote: those are binary states..

Yeah that's why I decided you were right. gheed: 1, samizdat: 0

...

ELA

Denmark4608 Posts

June 18 2012 02:06 GMT

#21

How about "TvZ is currently a joke" ? Isn't that the more correct construction of that sentence?

AiurZ

United States429 Posts

June 18 2012 02:13 GMT

#22

in "my bucket is nearly full" isn't nearly functioning more like an adjective than an adverb anyway? or is it that "nearly full" is an adjective phrase and it can move within that phrase or whatever (full nearly) but doesn't because we tend to organize the order of words in this way.

freely is probably the wrong word, it would probably be better said as "one of the function tests of adverbs is that it can move in its sentence."

Jinsho

United Kingdom3101 Posts

June 18 2012 02:52 GMT

#23

Adverbs are positioned near the thing they're modifying. That's the only rule. Whether or not the sentence makes sense has nothing to do with grammar.

sam!zdat

United States5559 Posts

June 18 2012 02:58 GMT

#24

Well, some placements of adverbs are ungrammatical, e.g. "TvZ is a currently joke." Mostly, though, we've been dealing in this thread with style, not grammar.

Probulous

Australia3894 Posts

June 18 2012 05:56 GMT

#25

No.

Linguistical is not a word. I hope that clarifies things.

LuckyFool

United States9015 Posts

June 19 2012 00:19 GMT

#26

I actually had the title as just "TvZ is a joke" for a long time and that's what I wanted displayed on the sidebar on left hand side, but I don't think the matchup has always been a joke which is what that title would imply, so I added currently on the end as a way to get around that.