Rules for -ward(s)

[Mxsmanic]

I seem to recall reading once that words like forward(s), downward(s), etc.,
take a final -s when used as adverbs, and drop the -s as adjectives. Is there
such a rule? Or is there any rule? Or just user preference?

[John Dean]

OED has, eg, forward and forwards both as adverbs. Their comment:

The present distinction in usage between forward and forwards is that the
latter expresses a definite direction viewed in contrast with other
directions. In some contexts either form may be used without perceptible
difference of meaning; the following are examples in which only one of them
can now be used: 'The ratchet-wheel can move only forwards'; 'the right side
of the paper has the maker's name reading forwards'; 'if you move at all it
must be forwards'; 'my companion has gone forward'; 'to bring a matter
forward'; 'from this time forward'. The usage of earlier periods, and of
modern dialects, varies greatly from that of mod. standard English. In U.S.
forward is now generally used, to the exclusion of forwards, which was
stigmatized by Webster (1832) as 'a corruption'.

--
John Dean
Oxford

[Eric Walker]

On Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:06:06 +0000, John Dean wrote:

[...]

> OED has, eg, forward and forwards both as adverbs. Their comment:
>
> The present distinction in usage between forward and forwards is that
> the latter expresses a definite direction viewed in contrast with other
> directions. In some contexts either form may be used without perceptible
> difference of meaning; the following are examples in which only one of
> them can now be used: 'The ratchet-wheel can move only forwards'; 'the
> right side of the paper has the maker's name reading forwards'; 'if you
> move at all it must be forwards'; 'my companion has gone forward'; 'to
> bring a matter forward'; 'from this time forward'. The usage of earlier
> periods, and of modern dialects, varies greatly from that of mod.
> standard English. In U.S. forward is now generally used, to the
> exclusion of forwards, which was stigmatized by Webster (1832) as 'a
> corruption'.

So much so that at least to these American ears the cited uses of
"forwards" seem bizarre. If I read something like "He was coming towards
me", I wince.

The American Heritage Dictionary gives "westward" as both adverb and
adjective, but "westwards" as adverb only (picking a -ward at random).

Spot check via Google: westward 82% vs. westwards 18% (of combined
usage),; but "onward" 43% vs. "onwards" (despite "Onward, Christian
Soldiers").

It really does seem as if the adverb is nowadays a matter of taste. It
might be nice if there were a clear consensus that Xward is the adjective
and Xwards the adverb, but that seems hopelessly lost, if it ever was a
convention, which seems doubtful.

--
Cordially,
Eric Walker, Owlcroft House
http://owlcroft.com/english/

[Mxsmanic]

Eric Walker writes:

Well, perhaps I'll just adopt that as a convention, anyway, since usage
apparently varies so much. I'm having trouble because my own usage is
currently very random, even within very short texts, and I'd like to put some
consistency into it.

[aquachimp]

I might be inclined to write;

He pressed as hard as he could with a downward force.

But

He fell out of the hot-air-balloon's basket and plunged directly
downwards, towards the jagged rocks below.

I don't think I've ever said "toward" without an s (towards)

[Eric Walker]

On Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:18:11 -0800, aquachimp wrote:

[...]

> I might be inclined to write;
>
> He pressed as hard as he could with a downward force.
>
> But
>
> He fell out of the hot-air-balloon's basket and plunged directly
> downwards, towards the jagged rocks below.
>
> I don't think I've ever said "toward" without an s (towards)

The OED seems, on reading at both "-ward" and "-wards", to have it that
adverbial usage is entirely a matter of preference save for cases when
the word is being used to describe manner as well as motion, as in
"walking backwards".

I suppose a safe, and even useful, rule might be "-ward" for all
adjectives and "-wards" for all adverbs. Who knows? It might even catch
on . . . .

[John Varela]

I don't think I ever use s with any xward word.

--
John Varela
Trade NEWlamps for OLDlamps for email

[Pat Durkin]

"John Varela" <OLDl...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:dxizd0mOwXzR-pnMODrCdLW@localhost...

Well, I probably use the "s" ending about 50% of the time. Less
often, I think, with compass points, and if I ever ever say "foward",
I probably wouldn't add the "s" ever.

Anybody say "toard(s)" or do you enunciate "toward(s)"* or "tward(s)"?

*I mean, as almost two syllables.

[John Varela]

On Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:56:25 UTC, "Pat Durkin"
<dur...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> Anybody say "toard(s)" or do you enunciate "toward(s)"* or "tward(s)"?

I think it's about half in two between "toards" and "towards".

[John Varela]

On Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:03:07 UTC, "John Varela"
<OLDl...@verizon.net> wrote:

> On Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:56:25 UTC, "Pat Durkin"
> <dur...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> > Anybody say "toard(s)" or do you enunciate "toward(s)"* or "tward(s)"?
>
> I think it's about half in two between "toards" and "towards".

Says he, contradicting what he just said two posts higher in the
thread. Make that "toard" and "toward".