When we teach the frequency adverbs (always, usually, sometimes, never and etc) some authors use a range like this:
always -- 100 %
usually -- 75%
often -- 50%
sometimes --25%
rarely --10%
never--0%
I made out those figures kind of randomly, just to illustrate what I mean.
Do you think it's worthwhile classifing the frequency adverbs like this? I know that always is indeed a very high-frequent event and events described as rarely take place in a very low-frequency fashion, but how different is normally from generally for example, is occasionally more often than sometimes is often more or less frequent than usually?
José
Degree of frequency
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tigertiger
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Word of caution.
This will work with lateral thinkers, but linear thinkers could be a problem.
I teach guys at software companies. They are so left brained they would argue about the frequency of an event with classmates (and attempt to define the %) to see which category the frequency falls into.
I kid you not, I have had similar with IBM.
Others to consider, almost always, almost never.
IMHO. In common useage the differences between the others are subjective, semantic.
This will work with lateral thinkers, but linear thinkers could be a problem.
I teach guys at software companies. They are so left brained they would argue about the frequency of an event with classmates (and attempt to define the %) to see which category the frequency falls into.
I kid you not, I have had similar with IBM.
Others to consider, almost always, almost never.
IMHO. In common useage the differences between the others are subjective, semantic.
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fluffyhamster
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People also aren't likely to speak in absolute terms. Both of the following are set in bars:
1) A: Do you come here often?
B: Yeah, quite often.
2) C: I saw you in here the other night - you're always in here!
D: I'd hardly say 'always', only 'sometimes'...
B says 'quite often', even though it's his favourite bar and he can't stay away from the place for more than one night in a row. He might go on to rave about the place to A, but at the moment he's still quite sober and doesn't quite know what A is making of the place.
D is maybe in a slightly disagreeable mood and objects to the implication of what C's said, even though it was probably just meant as a joke (and who knows if D is a lush at this stage in the imagined conversation).
I'm interested in teaching "hedging" kind of language, so things like 'quite often', 'sometimes/occassionally' or 'No, I don't generally come here that often/much, but today I thought I would, just for a change/because it's happy hour/because I'm meeting a friend here soon etc' are more what I'd be thinking of teaching for conversations; but obviously the preverbal adverbs of frequency are essential to know, and I don't see any harm in presenting them on the kind of rough scale we're all familiar with (provided there is then adequate examples and practice following).
1) A: Do you come here often?
B: Yeah, quite often.
2) C: I saw you in here the other night - you're always in here!
D: I'd hardly say 'always', only 'sometimes'...
B says 'quite often', even though it's his favourite bar and he can't stay away from the place for more than one night in a row. He might go on to rave about the place to A, but at the moment he's still quite sober and doesn't quite know what A is making of the place.
D is maybe in a slightly disagreeable mood and objects to the implication of what C's said, even though it was probably just meant as a joke (and who knows if D is a lush at this stage in the imagined conversation).
I'm interested in teaching "hedging" kind of language, so things like 'quite often', 'sometimes/occassionally' or 'No, I don't generally come here that often/much, but today I thought I would, just for a change/because it's happy hour/because I'm meeting a friend here soon etc' are more what I'd be thinking of teaching for conversations; but obviously the preverbal adverbs of frequency are essential to know, and I don't see any harm in presenting them on the kind of rough scale we're all familiar with (provided there is then adequate examples and practice following).
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Andrew Patterson
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"Always" does literally mean 100% of the time and "never" does literally mean 0 % of the time although pragmatic use may include cases when this is not literally the case, for instance, "You're always borrowing my stuff," "You never do the washing up." (Irritation in voice in both cases.)
The others are too vague to pin down actual degrees of probability, and the best you can do is put them in the right order, sometimes/occasionally that may be debatable.
Anyway, probability tends to be governed by a bell-curve so those percentages are unlikely to fit actual percentages within one, two or three degrees of standard deviation.
Sorry, for that last paragraph, I'm just in a funny mood
The others are too vague to pin down actual degrees of probability, and the best you can do is put them in the right order, sometimes/occasionally that may be debatable.
Anyway, probability tends to be governed by a bell-curve so those percentages are unlikely to fit actual percentages within one, two or three degrees of standard deviation.
Sorry, for that last paragraph, I'm just in a funny mood
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tigertiger
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Your "last" para is great. I will use this for IBM and fight analysis with analysisAndrew Patterson wrote:"Always" does literally mean 100% of the time and "never" does literally mean 0 % of the time although pragmatic use may include cases when this is not literally the case, for instance, "You're always borrowing my stuff," "You never do the washing up." (Irritation in voice in both cases.)
The others are too vague to pin down actual degrees of probability, and the best you can do is put them in the right order, sometimes/occasionally that may be debatable.
Anyway, probability tends to be governed by a bell-curve so those percentages are unlikely to fit actual percentages within one, two or three degrees of standard deviation.
Sorry, for that last paragraph, I'm just in a funny mood
They will be at it for hours. Transmission teaching in action -
Metamorfose
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Great, great
As I thought, always and never are the extremes and the rest will lie in between in a rather arbitrarily pinned down to the speaker/writer's choice (hey I don't mean that sometimes can overlap often or usually.)
Tigertiger, actually it was a student of mine who also studies computering who first asked me such a question.
José
As I thought, always and never are the extremes and the rest will lie in between in a rather arbitrarily pinned down to the speaker/writer's choice (hey I don't mean that sometimes can overlap often or usually.)
Tigertiger, actually it was a student of mine who also studies computering who first asked me such a question.
José
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tigertiger
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Metamorfose
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