Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[sejpdw]

I've read this paragraph.
" There is nothing wrong with being positive about an idea at first and then rejecting it later. Too much talent is wasted in negative thinking. So rember- think positive!

Why 'think positive' instead of 'think positively'?
The dictionary says 'positive' is not used as an adverb.
I think 'think' is a verb and that 'positively', an adverbe, not 'positive', an adjective, has to be used with 'think'.
Please tell me about this.

[Anuradha Chepur]

Good question.

In 'think positive', positive is a noun (object of 'think') and not an adjective.

I feel 'think positive' is more appealing than 'think positively'.

[ClarissaMach]

I guess "think positively" wouldn't be wrong, but "think positive" is more usual. It's a kind of expression.

Curiously, in Portuguese (my native language), it's exactly the same estructure (we can say "pense positivamente", but it's much more common saying "pense positivo". Positivamente is an adverb, positivo is a noun).
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Stormy Weather.

[CP]

I agree with Dr. Chepur.

It is similar when Americans say, "Think pink!" if the couple wants to have a baby girl. (Pink is for girls; blue for boys.) Even if the parents know the sex of the child ahead of time, because of ultrasound, you might see the mother wearing a "Think Pink!" T-shirt.

You would never say, "Think pinkly!"

Yours bluely,
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb