English grammar question

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 11:29pm

I'm working on an application, and I'd like to know: if I'm referring to Law as a field of study, do I include an article ("To study and understand the law"), or leave it out ("to study and understand Law")?

Updated On: 10/27/05 at 11:29 PM

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 11:36pm

I believe the "the" would only be added if you were saying something like "the concept of law".

I'm not positive but that is what I think.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 11:38pm

Well, I know that I fought the law and the law won.

But, I am actually not sure of the rule.

Sorry.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 11:40pm

I'm assuming one can remove the "the" and just capitalize Law, like History or Political Science. But I'm not sure....

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 11:42pm

Well, I work for a law deparment in a company, and my business card just says "Law" after my title. If that helps.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 11:45pm

My card, says Jerk!

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 11:45pm

Hey, not until you are in the Scalia costume!

[Broadway_Baby]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 11:50pm

I believe you can remove the "the". You wouldn't say "to study and understand the Math" or "the History", so it makes sense that you can omit the "the" when referring to Law as a subject.

Obviously though, if using "law" as a metonym for "government", one would have to include "the".

[Taryn]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 1:41am

Remove "the." "The law" implies either a specific law or law enforcement kinda deal.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 2:31am

Thanks!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 10:12am

An English teacher with 34 years experience advises you to drop the "the".

There is no fee for this advice.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 11:10am

and as we do not automatically capitalize Nouns in America, as they do in Germany....I am not sure if you'd use law, or LAW.
I would never write "to sudy and understand History", but rather "to studey and undersyand history."

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 7:52pm

Here's another one: it's grammatically correct to say "I am well"; but if we replace "well" with a similar adverb, is "I am finely" or "I am doing finely" also correct, as opposed to "I am fine"?

[Taryn]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 11:08pm

"I am finely" is NOT correct, as you would use an adjective in that case, not an adverb. "I am doing finely" IS correct, as is "I am doing fine." "I am fine," is also correct. Fine is both an adjective and an adverb, finely is just an adverb.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 11:47pm

"I am finely" is NOT correct, as you would use an adjective in that case, not an adverb.

How about the case of "I am well"? Well is an adverb, yet this sentence is correct. Isn't "I am good" grammatically incorrect?

[Aigoo]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 11:56pm

"I am good" is incorrect. Good is only an adjective while both well and fine are adverbs AND adjectives.

Actually, "well" is the adverb form of "good", but it is informal.

Updated On: 10/30/05 at 11:56 PM

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 11:58pm

Ah, I see -- thank you both for your help. I was under the impression that "well" is an adverb only.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/31/05 at 1:01am

First off, I think fine is both the adverbial form and adjectival form of the word "fine" (wow, that did not make sense).

I am doing fine.
I am fine.

Well is an odd case. In Spanish, for example, you say "Estoy bien" (bien being the adverb, bueno being the adjective).

The real reason, I believe, is that you are asking "how?" How as a question implies the use of an adverb. "How are you going?" "I am going quickly"...or something to that effect.

Anyway, I like to simplify it to --> Well is the adverbial form of good. HOWEVER - well is also an adjective meaning "not ill."

"He has a fever; he is not well"
Updated On: 10/31/05 at 01:01 AM

[Taryn]

Posted: 10/31/05 at 1:16am

Finely IS also an adverb. I looked it up in the dictionary to make sure before answering. It's most commonly used for things like "finely chopped," but it does also have the same "well" definition of "fine."

The adjective uses of the word "well" do extend beyond physical condition. Take a sentence like this: "All's well that ends well."

"Good" actually has an Adverb listing in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, but with the note that it is generally a more informal usage that is generally under attack. But, generally, good is only used as an adjective, hence the reason why "I am good" is incorrect.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/31/05 at 1:19am

"finely chopped" is different than "I am finely"

Fine has two different meanings and, therefore, two different uses.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 10/31/05 at 2:04am

Thanks for your help. Here's another one: is it proper to write, "they completed their undergraduate degree and....", or would I pluralize "degree"?

Updated On: 10/31/05 at 02:04 AM