"FAR" = adjective or adverb?

[TheParser]

"China is FAR from the United States." I once asked 10 teachers at the best ESL (English as a Second Language) school in the United States (I shall not name it, for I don't want to make other schools feel bad): Is "far" an adjective or an adverb in that sentence? Five teachers replied: "No problem. It's an adjective." Of course, the other five told me: "No problem. It's an adverb." I thanked all ten teachers with respect and gratitude. May I ask the same question of YOU? Thank you.

 

[bhaisahab]

"China is FAR from the United States." I once asked 10 teachers at the best ESL (English as a Second Language) school in the United States (I shall not name it, for I don't want to make other schools feel bad): Is "far" an adjective or an adverb in that sentence? Five teachers replied: "No problem. It's an adjective." Of course, the other five told me: "No problem. It's an adverb." I thanked all ten teachers with respect and gratitude. May I ask the same question of YOU? Thank you.

In this case it's an adverb.

 

[mara_ce]

In my opinion, it's an adverb.

 

[TheParser]

Yes, I, too, feel it is an adverb in this case. "Great minds think alike." Just kidding! Thanks to you both for taking the time to consider this issue.

 

[mxreader]

Yes, I, too, feel it is an adverb in this case. "Great minds think alike." Just kidding! Thanks to you both for taking the time to consider this issue.

Maybe mine is the lesser mind but I'm with the "No problem. It's an adjective." camp.

Clearly, the copula "is" links the subject with its description (Cs), a locative one.

 

[Raymott]

Didn't we just finish this debate in the "far from" thread, agreeing that 'far from' was adverbial?
https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-teacher/112675-far.html

If a new thread is going to be started just to get fresh ideas for a currently existing thread, I think it's polite to acknowledge that existing thread.

 

[Kondorosi]

Maybe mine is the lesser mind but I'm with the "No problem. It's an adjective." camp.

Clearly, the copula "is" links the subject with its description (Cs), a locative one.

Agreed. Another lesser mind is mine.

 

[Kondorosi]

"China is FAR from the United States."

I realized something interesting. Read from this post on:

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-teacher/112675-far-2.html#post552916

Compare these:

China is FAR from the United States.
It is far from the truth.

Both sentences contain this: 'far from the truth'. Question is, 'far' modifies 'from the ...,' or the reverse? In the 'China' sentence, the sense it conveys is that China is a distant place. It is far. The prep phrase specifies the meaning of 'far'. 'far' is relative. Far from where? So, in that sentence, 'far' is an adjective, the following prep phrase is an adverb that modifies 'far'.

Second sentence says the origin of 'it' comes from the truth.

He is from the US.
It is from the truth.

See the analogy? I do. In the second sentence, 'from the truth' is a predicate adjunct that is modified by another adverb, 'far'.

 

[TheParser]

Many thanks to the people who took the time to answer my question. I plan to carefully study your comments. I apologize for not mentioning a similar thread. My only excuse is that I am commuter illiterate and don't know how to do so. I also learned a lesson: avoid humor ("great minds"), for people are easily offended. Thank you.

 

[mxreader]

I also learned a lesson: avoid humor ("great minds"), for people are easily offended. Thank you.

Absolutely not TheParser, please continue with humour. Lets investigate and exchange ideas with humour to keep things in perspective.

Could the differences of opinions be the result of having different definitions of Adverbs and Adjectives?

By the way, does anyone know if there is there a clear consensus amongst grammarians as to the precise functions of adverbs and adjectives? Is there some source on the internet with comprehensive researched explanations?

 

[TheParser]

Absolutely not TheParser, please continue with humour. Lets investigate and exchange ideas with humour to keep things in perspective.

Could the differences of opinions be the result of having different definitions of Adverbs and Adjectives?

By the way, does anyone know if there is there a clear consensus amongst grammarians as to the precise functions of adverbs and adjectives? Is there some source on the internet with comprehensive researched explanations?

***NOT A TEACHER***Thank you for your kind words. I have been discussing this with other people, and one of them gsve me this quote from the authoritative A COMPREHENSIVE GRAMMAR OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, by Quirk et al.: The distinction between preposition and adverb is not clear in expressions like: "She is far from (being) weak. (anything but)" I am completely confused and don't know what to think.

 

[Kondorosi]

***NOT A TEACHER***Thank you for your kind words. I have been discussing this with other people, and one of them gsve me this quote from the authoritative A COMPREHENSIVE GRAMMAR OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, by Quirk et al.: The distinction between preposition and adverb is not clear in expressions like: "She is far from (being) weak. (anything but)" I am completely confused and don't know what to think.

The best thing you can do is: Have the courage of your own convictions. Do not let grammarians force their way of thinking upon you, whoever they are. Think freely. If you do not like something, do not eat it. Nothing in grammar is carved in stones. My view on 'far' is my story, and I am sticking to it. ;-)

 

[Kondorosi]

I also learned a lesson: avoid humor ("great minds"), for people are easily offended. Thank you.

We like humor. And you were humorous, even though you were so in a different way you first intended. :-D

 

[TheParser]

The best thing you can do is: Have the courage of your own convictions. Do not let grammarians force their way of thinking upon you, whoever they are. Think freely. If you do not like something, do not eat it. Nothing in grammar is carved in stones. My view on 'far' is my story, and I am sticking to it. ;-)

***NOT A TEACHER***Thank you for your note. I am a very timid soul. I shall try to be more assertive. I guess the world of grammar analysis can be pretty rough!:-D (I have heard that the arguments among university professors can get pretty nasty!!!)

 

[bhaisahab]

From Cambridge dictionary:

Definition
far adverb (DISTANCE)


at, to or from a great distance in space or time
How far is it from Australia to New Zealand?
Is the station far away?
She doesn't live far from here.
He felt lonely and far from home.
One day, perhaps far in/into the future, you'll regret what you've done.

 

[Kondorosi]

From Cambridge dictionary:

Definition
far adverb (DISTANCE)


at, to or from a great distance in space or time
How far is it from Australia to New Zealand?
Is the station far away?
She doesn't live far from here.
He felt lonely and far from home.
One day, perhaps far in/into the future, you'll regret what you've done.

"The station isn't far" -- adjective
far - Definition of far adjective from Cambridge Dictionary Online: Free English Dictionary and Thesaurus

"How far is it from Australia to New Zealand?" -- adverb
far - Definition of far adverb (DISTANCE) from Cambridge Dictionary Online: Free English Dictionary and Thesaurus

This dictionary does not seem very consistent.

 

[bhaisahab]

"The station isn't far" -- adjective
far - Definition of far adjective from Cambridge Dictionary Online: Free English Dictionary and Thesaurus

"How far is it from Australia to New Zealand?" -- adverb
far - Definition of far adverb (DISTANCE) from Cambridge Dictionary Online: Free English Dictionary and Thesaurus

This dictionary does not seem very consistent.

The difference is the "from - to" part.

 

[Kondorosi]

The difference is the "from - to" part.

True, but that does not affect function.

It is very (=how) far (from X to Y).