Adverbs - Comment, Viewpoint and Focus

Drawing on the information from the sources and our conversation history, let’s explore the concepts of Comment, Viewpoint, and Focus adverbs.

We’ve previously discussed adverbs in general as words or sets of words that modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs, indicating aspects like when, where, how, and how much an action is performed. These types of adverbs, such as adverbs of manner, degree, place, and time, often relate to the structural aspects of a sentence.

However, there’s another way to categorize adverbs, particularly focusing on the pragmatic part of the language and how our minds process language. This classification includes Comment adverbs, Viewpoint adverbs, and Focus adverbs. Understanding these types can help to “brighten up” and “sharpen up” your language, adding flavour and impact.

1. Comment Adverbs:

   • Function: These adverbs are used to indicate likelihood or the speaker’s attitude or opinion about the statement. They can also show the speaker’s judgement of someone’s action.
   • Examples: Many comment adverbs end in ‘-ly’.
     • Indicating likelihood: apparently, certainly, clearly, definitely, in theory, obviously, presumably, undoubtedly.
     • Indicating attitude/opinion: astonishingly, frankly, generally, honestly (also listed as a discourse marker), interestingly, luckily, naturally, sadly, seriously, surprisingly, unbelievably. Phrases like ’to be honest’ or ‘in my opinion’ can also function similarly.
     • Showing judgement: bravely, carelessly, foolishly, generously, kindly, rightly, stupidly, wisely, wrongly.
   • Position: Comment adverbs can be quite flexible in their position, occurring anywhere in the sentence – in the initial position, anywhere in the middle, or at the end.
   • Scope: At times, comment adverbs are applicable to the whole sentence. When they appear at the beginning of the sentence with this broader scope, they are usually separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma. This function overlaps with what is described as “sentence adverbs” in another source, which also typically come at the beginning of a sentence and take the entire sentence into their scope.
   • Example Use: “The plane apparently overshot runway after landing” (‘apparently’ adds a comment about the speaker’s level of certainty, which is not high). “Definitely, please, definitely try to make three to four sentences”.

2. Viewpoint Adverbs:

   • Function: These adverbs are used to indicate a specific perspective, often the speaker’s, or for the purpose of clarity. They frame the statement from a particular angle.
   • Examples: biologically, chemically, environmentally, ideologically, logically, morally, outwardly, politically, technically, visually, visibly.
   • Phrase Forms: Phrases can also function as viewpoint adverbs, such as ‘morally speaking’, ‘in political terms’, ‘from technical point of view’, ‘as far as environment is concerned’.
   • Example Use: “Financially the hospitalization has been a disaster for my neighbours” (‘financially’ specifies the aspect in which the hospitalization was a disaster). “The sisters might be alike physically, but they have to be different personalities” (‘physically’ gives the viewpoint of physical appearance). “What you did was not illegal but was morally wrong”. “Outwardly, the couple appeared happy”. “Technically, the two countries are still at war”.

3. Focus Adverbs:

   • Function: Some words function specifically to focus attention on a particular part of the sentence. They highlight or limit the element they modify.
   • Examples: Even, only.
   • Note on Usage: It’s mentioned that the use and position of these words, particularly in Indian English, can differ from American or British English. The position can be “sort of fixed” in other contexts.
   • Example Use: While explicit examples with explanations from this source are limited to simply listing the words, other sources in our conversation history mention the use of words like ‘only’ or words that add emphasis like ‘actually’.

These categories highlight adverbs that go beyond simply describing how or when an action occurs, instead layering in the speaker’s perspective, attitude, or emphasis. Incorporating these types of adverbs thoughtfully can make your writing and speaking “more effective, more impressive”. As with other aspects of language, paying attention to how native speakers use them can help in acquiring the ability to use them effortlessly.