Jean in Newcastle Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Do people still use the word "surely" anymore? As in "He surely will get in trouble if he steals some money." or "Surely, you've met before?" I still use it but I always feel funny when I do. No one else I know IRL seems to use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 I do. I haven't really noticed that other people do not use it anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy1k Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Don't call me Surely! /not helpful :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 I do. I haven't really noticed that other people do not use it anymore. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 We use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Surely, we are not alone, however IRL persons who are not in the world of education or mature in years rarely enjoy the pleasures of antiquated tongue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 My dh and I use it, but I think it's like Amy1k's use of it. One of us will say, "Surely it won't rain ALL week." To which the other one will say, "It may very well rain all week, and stop calling me Shirley." We're weird. Chelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 I do, but then again I am not a native English speaker and I lived 10 years in the UK. I am aware of my English being a little different than that of most people I associate with in the US! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 I use it--hadn't really thought about it being archaic. But I'm told I talk like a dictionary anyway . . . shrug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Do people still use the word "surely" anymore? As in "He surely will get in trouble if he steals some money." or "Surely, you've met before?" I still use it but I always feel funny when I do. No one else I know IRL seems to use it. I use it. I haven't noticed that it's not used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 9, 2009 Author Share Posted November 9, 2009 So if someone says, "It looks like rain." Do you say, "It sure does." or "It surely does." If someone says, "Please help me with this heavy box." Do you say, "Sure, I'll be there in a minute." or "Surely, I'll be there in a minute." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 So if someone says, "It looks like rain." Do you say, "It sure does." or "It surely does." If someone says, "Please help me with this heavy box." Do you say, "Sure, I'll be there in a minute." or "Surely, I'll be there in a minute." I agree that I mostly hear it used only in certain instances-"surely, they will be here soon." I rarely hear "we surely completed our work quickly today." In the latter case most people use "sure." There are times even *I* don't use "surely" because it does sound antiquated, might as well start using "verily." :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 My kids say "surely" occasionally, but I'm not sure why. Then again, my daughter has started to say that things are "jolly." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 This is an example of my personal usage taken from an email I sent to my dd's school counselor asking for clarification as to why two class periods had been used the previous week by her L.A. teacher to show the movie Ratatouille (this is an 8th grade L.A. class by the way, but I digress): "Surely, there must be plenty of things they have yet to learn..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 My kids say "surely" occasionally, but I'm not sure why. Then again, my daughter has started to say that things are "jolly." What is your daughter watching or reading these days? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 I do sometimes, but I'm the only person I know who uses "ought" too. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 I do. I didn't know it made me sound old. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 I do. I didn't know it made me sound old. ;) As do I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 I use it--hadn't really thought about it being archaic. But I'm told I talk like a dictionary anyway . . . shrug. What a marvelous compliment! Really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Don't call me Surely! /not helpful :P :D I use it, but not to dh, because it will surely garner a response of "...and don't call me Shirley." Dc and I say,"Surely you jest" to each other quite often. Not sure where that comes from. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Don't call me Surely! /not helpful :P Yes, I use the word. Yes, I can't help but think of that line, even if I don't say it. I do. I didn't know it made me sound old. ;) If sounding old means I don't talk like a text message I'm okay with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 What is your daughter watching or reading these days? ;) I think I've identified it as being the influence of an E. Nesbit character. Surely being "jolly" isn't a bad thing? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I use surely. And I get those who reply, "Don't call me Shirley." But then, I had a friend look at me cross-eyed when I used the word "indeed." I think she had commented on the weather (Looks like rain) and I replied, "Indeed." She thought I'd stepped out of a Jane Austen novel or something.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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