Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

suitably

English answer:

to give a suitable answer to

Added to glossary by Cristina Mazzucchelli
May 24, 2005 13:49
19 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term

suitably

Non-PRO English Other General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
I think I have a doubt about the positionof the adverb in this sentence:

"We are ready to suitably answer your questions in terms of functionality, experience and flexibility."

I would put "suitably" after the verb. What do you think?

TIA

Discussion

cmwilliams (X) May 24, 2005:
It's not only a matter of the split infinitive - it's the actual word choice that's the problem.
Nick Lingris May 24, 2005:
Some of the people here as well as some the readers of the brochure will strongly object to the split infinitive. Other will just take it in their stride.
Non-ProZ.com May 24, 2005:
I am actually revising an Italian-English translation of a new company's brochure. The whole text sounds to me a lot like a literal translation, but since the final client has the file ready to be printed I just wanted to know if the sentence was gramatically correct, let's say that it was at least acceptable...anyway, thank you Everybody!

Responses

+8
6 mins
Selected

to give a suitable answer to

If you do not believe in split infinitives, go for alternative constructions, such as the above.
Peer comment(s):

agree Tony M
0 min
Thank you, Dusty. I owe you one.
agree cmwilliams (X)
4 mins
Thank you.
agree Derek Gill Franßen : This construction certainly makes more sense to me. ;-)
16 mins
Thank you.
agree SirReaL
42 mins
Thank you, Mikhail.
agree David Moore (X) : Far better option
2 hrs
Thank you, David. But then I see Dusty's lengthy explanation and hit myself on the head for being so laconic.
agree Alfa Trans (X)
2 hrs
Thank you, Marju.
agree conejo
6 hrs
Thank you.
agree rangepost
9 hrs
Thank you.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I wanted to split the points also...:-) But your solution sounded really nice! Thanks!"
+2
5 mins

leave it off completely

As far as its position is concerned, I think it would work either before or after the verb (or even after "questions", which would then make the most sense to me), but in reading this sentence I had ask myself what the word "suitably" is supposed to mean - I still don't know (hence my suggestion to leave it off). ;-)
Peer comment(s):

agree Tony M : I think the meaning is far from clear too
1 min
agree SirReaL
43 mins
Something went wrong...
+6
6 mins

'split infinitive'

What you have here is the classic example of a 'split infinitive', once deeply frowned upon, but nowadays increasingly acceptable.

However, in the sentence as it stands, it does read rather uncomfortably, but it is difficult to know where else you could position the adverb to make it any better.

For me, the real problem in the first place is the choice of this adverb; you can answer quickly / curtly / politely, but it sounds all wrong to say 'answer suitably' --- it isn't appropriate as a manner in which to answer.

I would prefer something like 'We are ready to come up with suitable answers to your questions concerning...'

It's not even quite clear what you are trying to say; do you mean that the 'we' are the ones who have the experience / fnctionality etc.? You really need to explain a bit more clearly what you're really trying to say, and then I could perhaps help you better...
Peer comment(s):

agree cmwilliams (X)
5 mins
Thanks, CMW!
agree Nick Lingris : I actually owe you two agrees for the beautiful explanation.
6 mins
Thanks, Nick! How kind...
agree SirReaL
42 mins
Spasibo, Mikhail ! :-)
agree Can Altinbay : Nice alternative. The original construction is awkward beyond the split infinitive. And what did Capt. Picard say? "...to boldly split infinitives where no one has split them before"?
1 hr
Thanks, Can! Capt. Picard?! Who's that young upstart...? Give me Admiral Kirk anytime :-)
agree David Moore (X)
2 hrs
Thanks, David!
agree Sonia Geerlings
2 hrs
Thanks, Sonia!
Something went wrong...
+1
2 mins

... possible, but not good style ...

It's possible how you wrote it, but it's not good style to "split the infinitive"

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Note added at 8 mins (2005-05-24 13:57:50 GMT)
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In fact, I would re-write it like this:

We are ready to provide a suitable answer ..
Peer comment(s):

agree SirReaL
46 mins
Something went wrong...
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