Wir Ain Leed — Adverbs
Adverbs are words added to verbs, adjectives or other adverbs, expressing some modification of the meaning or accompanying circumstance.
Many adverbs take the same form as the verb root or adjective, especially when they are placed after verbs.
It's really good ale.
I'm very well today.
I'm terribly tired.
He's quite mad.
I had quite forgot.
Remember to proceed carefully.
He's very drunk tonight.
I was dumbstruck.
I'm terribly obliged to you.
The dog was nearly mad.
She was crying bitterly.
He's not greatly pleased.
Her tongue is constantly wagging.
Anything else.
No body else.
Adverbs may also be formed by suffixing ly or lies. Where the adjective ends in ie the adverb may be formed by changing ie to i and adding ly.
The internal inconsistency caused by unpredictably using <lie> or<ly> will be found on this site. Some writers simply use one or the other.
*Brawly and brawlies also express the sense of 'thoroughly' or 'excellently'.
**Fully expresses the sense of 'quite', 'rather more than', 'a good deal' and 'on the whole'.
***Haurdly may also take the form hairdly.
A good deal coarser than flour .
Quite that.
I shall probably be there.
I knew him very well.
That whisky goes down splendidly.
I could barely endure the suffering.
He would surely give it to whom it belongs.
Some adverbs are formed by suffixing s, for example, mebbes 'maybe, perhaps' and whiles 'sometimes'.
Beware of the mud, or you may smear your ankles.
He sometimes took a drop of whisky.
The suffix in, plural ins, may be added to some adverbs.
She didn't like the new dress either.
Perhaps you might come over.
That dog is seldom scared of anyone.
Some adverbs are formed by suffixing lins to nouns indicating in the direction of, and to adjectives to indicate direction, manner, condition or degree.
He fell backwards and spread himself across the floor.
The reapers work was almost finished.
He gave the pretty girl an sideward glance.
Some adverbs are formed by suffixing gate(s) and wey(s).
When adjectives such as nae, ony and some are used to modify nouns such as gate and wey in order to express the sense of 'in some method, manner, fashion or 'in some way', they are generally written as separate words.
Some adverbs are formed using the prefix be.
The shepherd's hut is to the west of the bridge across the stream.
Sometimes you hear a cuckoo in the copse.
The frequentive suffix le also implies direction towards.
He went two miles eastwards.
The moonlight caused the ripples to sparkle.
Adverbs may also be formed from many adjectives when the preceded by the preposition 'for'.
Yes, that's the ordinary fare.
Jeanie's usually a good child.
The politician gave a better speech than usual.
I told you that doesn't normally happen.
Relative, Demonstrative and Interrogative adverbs
Relative adverbs refer to the preceding part of the sentence with respect to place, time, manner or case.
Hou may also be used for the sense of 'the reason for'.
I want to know why you sold the cows for so little.
He sprained his thumb when he jumped (over) the park wall.
Demonstrative adverbs point out with respect to place, time, manner or case.
After here, before a noun, the verb 'to be' may be elided. Thare is may also be elided to thare's or simply reduced to thare.
This and that may be contracted to 'is and 'at in Northern dialects.
Yon (thon) and yonder (thonder) refer to things at a distance.
Here are a few sweets in the meantime.
Stay there.
There are now twelve people where seven used to live.
There is someone asking about you.
Go over there.
I told yo so.
I'll do so.
It's not so bad.
She was so proud.
In colloquial speech an unstressed or contracted pronunciation of thare [ðə], [ðə] in Insular varieties, sounds much like the definite article the [ðə] or an unstressed realisation of the pronoun thay [ðə] (they). Consequently it is usually written the (also de or dey in Shetland dialect writing). The reduced form the occurs in constructions such as:
The're meaning 'there are'.
The wis meaning 'there was'.
The war meaning 'there were' or 'there was'.
The'll meaning 'there will' or 'there shall'.
Also the negative forms:
Are the? meaning 'are there?'
War the? meaning 'were there?' or 'was there?
Once there was a man.
Are there many more of your sort?
Is there anyone in?
There's no time at night.
There's a man down there.
There wasn't half as much cleaning done then.
Interrogative adverbs ask questions with respect to place, time, manner or case.
Hou is often used to ask for a reason, as is why and whit for. Whit wey is often used to ask 'for what reason' or 'in what manner'. Are may be elided after whaur, especially before ye or you.
How do you do?
Why didn't you ask him?
Why did you take the job?
Why not?
Why weren't you coming?
Why not?
For what reason?
Why not?
When did he come?
Where are you going?
Adverbs of place
Many prepositions are used adverbially.
Be careful of the donkey and keep back.
The father casts his head aloof and looks slightly sour.
It's wet, dirty and slippery down below in the mud.
She's on her feet again after a bout of influenza.
He's somewhere up in Buchan.
It's a difficult horse to control.
He and I live together in the same dwelling.
It's occurred to me from your accent that you're not from these parts.
What sort of people live hereabouts?
There's no one in.
Come indoors.
Far off beyond the pasture.
Keep away.
Come nearer.
Are you coming over there to the village?
Adverbs of time and number
Many prepositions are used adverbially.
Then he came in.
Then I went home.
It's a long time since then.
Long ago we were friends.
Long, long ago.
It's a very long time since then.
Once upon a time, some time ago, there lived three little pigs.
He comes here sometimes.
Sometimes yes and sometimes no.
He's still alive.
Always wise after the event.
I'm still struggling on.
One day soon we'll go out together.
Not just now.
When I was weary I would rest a little while.
Adverbs of quantity, manner and degree
probably
probably
It's worth two pounds at any rate.
He jumped backwards and forwards.
The girl was merely eighteen years old.
She went past without speaking.
He's past recovery.
Those peas are extraordinarily fine.
Debt and dring have driven him absolutely mad.
I'm quite exhausted.
He's quite mad.
He's quite drunk to night.
I was quite dumbstruck .
That's good enough.
I shall very likely be there.
And many more besides.
He can do it easily.
Yes, and besides, it was really threadbare under the table.
I know him well.
Yes indeed ! It wasn't like that at all.
Commence your work.
Just so.
She simply jabbered incessantly.
I'm not very well, as it were, today.
Perhaps yes, perhaps no.
She was very well thought of.
You have put in too much salt.
Not very much.
It's not milk however.
I nearly overturned.
Read it aloud.
You've come too early.
We went home in order to cook dinner.
The fish was as long as my arm.
I was so scared.
Was it indeed?
Haven't you finished yet.
His time was over.
My horse is thoroughly well trained now.
The concept of 'very', 'remarkably', 'thoroughly' can be expressed using a number of adverbs: awfu, fell, fou, gey, real, sair, richt, terrible, unco and verra.
He was taken away very suddenly.
He's a remarkably good clergyman.
The child sat there very snugly and said nothing.
I'm very busy just now.
Those are very fine turnips.
He's not greatly pleased about it.
She's very eccentric.
That's a very old one.
Those are exceedingly fine cattle.
Negative adverbs
Adjectives, verbs and adverb are negated by no or nae in Northern Scots. No or nae often combines with the comparatives sae and that.
She is not as mad as you think.
He is not that ill.
It's rarely so warm.
Women aren’t so shy now.
There is something not quite safe about that horse.
Double negatives are very common.
I'm not going to give you anything.
Nothing else.
There's no time at night.
He's no worse.
There's no such thing anywhere now.
I don't take more than a glass.
You can't trust him in any respect.
I haven't seen her anywhere.
She hadn't any either.
I don't care for any of it.
I never eat any beef.
The horns never grow to any size.
There never was anything like it.
I never heard it called anything else.
Adverbial expressions
Some examples are:
That's no good at all.
He often came to Anstruther.
She's a little mad.
That's the least bit too long.
Milking cows and all that sort of thing.
Is he going abroad? He is indeed.
The runaway children got as far as the stream.
She's his aunt somehow or other.
He left with as much as twenty pounds in my debt.
Don't go for that alone.
She's much better.
I was a little delayed.
I'd rather stay at home.
He brought his son too.
I would rather go home.
Leave me (us) alone.
Comparison of adverbs
Adverbs form their comparative and superlative in the same way as adjectives.
See under adjective comparisons.