Hopefully

[angryofmiddx]

I know I'm going to come over as a crusty old pedant, but is anyone else concerned about the shift of the word hopefully away from its original meaning of 'full of hope' towards a new meaning of 'I hope'?

[ravenhair]

Nope. Speaking as a lexicographer, one must embrace descriptivism and shun prescriptivism. That said, there are many many other linguistic aberrations that drive me insane. My biggest fear is that "it's" is going to worm its way into acceptable Standard English: I'm seeing it increasingly in supposedly proofread written material . . . it's a worry, I can tell you.

[andy hughes]

I too am keen that language is used properly, and I'm not trying to be smart or provocative here, but I seem to be missing the issue with the question, and the answer. Isn't the use of 'hopefully' and 'it's' in the contexts mentioned simply part of the evolution of language? I don't see why either is a problem, can one / both of you elaborate further because my curiosity is aroused by the points raised.

[vittoria]

For my part I do find "hopefully" rather inelegant when used in the context "hopefully we'll find out soon" - as opposed to its original meaning "he said hopefully" meaning "he said in or with hope". However, I confess that I have been known to use it. As for "it's" and "its" - I suppose ravenhair means that he does not like to see "its" (possessive adjective) spelt with an apostrophe? Or does he object to "it's" short for "it is"? I don't like the former but I am happy with the latter. However, English is not my mother tongue, so I am interested to read more on this (is this correct? Re-reading it, it sounds rather clumsy).

[ravenhair]

Yes, what I was referring to was the possessive "its" spelled with an apostrophe. When we edit dictionaries, one of the most difficult decisions we make related to the proces of "acceptabilization", if you like. English has evolved to give another sense to the word "hopefully", as I see it, whereas the whole apostrophe issue strikes me as just a poor grasp of syntax. I would never mark "it's" and "its" as interchangeable in a dictionary whereas I would have no hesitation in showing the two senses of "hopefully".

[SRAYN1]

Bad grammar shouldn't be acceptable. It's as simple as that. Yours hopefully, S

[incitatus]

And there I was thinking I was the only anal retentive on the site! Im not sure it matters, any of it. The only time that a usage or piece of grammar should be considered incorrect is if it interferes with communication. Im not sure that this is the case with hopefully, though it can be with it's. With the hopefully, if you insert a word or two mentally into the new usage it maes it closer to the old....instead of "Hopefully I'll be paid by Friday" pretend its "thinking hopefully.....". Grammar in English is nearing breaking point anyway. In most languages grammar exists as a doublecheck....one can check for sense content by grammatical analysis. In english this hasnt worked since saxon times. I think it is time to boldly split infinitives that no man has split before.....

[andy hughes]

I do take your point about the "its / it's" issue. As dad to a 12-year-old, I have to remind her that you can't lob apostrophes into words just because they have an 's' on the end, but it is an uphill struggle. Even vans with sign-written logos have misplaced apostrophes. I confess I find it really annoying, only because I was taught that written langauge is a communication tool, and should be used correctly. My local greengrocer sells 'potatoe's' which is a novelty!

[ravenhair]

Places I have noticed "it's" lately include a wine label, a five-star hotel brochure, some promotional material for Next, several broadsheet newspapers and a publisher's website (not the one I work for, I hasten to add)

[incitatus]

Strongly reminded of an Ogden Nash poem..."Come on in, the senility's fine". May I prescribe reading Nash to all those who are het on this subject?