What if I nodded over nothing but one end of something that was “I nodded a little abstractly”
After reading one sentence, “nodded abstractly” 2. This is the two word describing the story. What is Google/Google? I look for it. People use it quiet often…
I read it there:
” Welcome aboard,” said Justin from the studio. He grabbed a small rubber chicken from an unattended desk. Is this possible? A few people nodded abstractionly, already intent on their work.
How can a person nod at objects?
What is the purpose of this post on CCG.com?
This verb abstract is defined here as:
5. Ipersonal, as in attitude or views
An Ngram shows that nod abstractly and nodding abstractly seem to never be used, and nodded abstractly only began to be used recently (a little in the 1930’s and increasingly in the 1980’s and 1990’s). I believe the word distractedly comes from mistaking this verb. I sincerely hope you get the point.
There is nothing wrong with a nod or an acknowledgement of an act. Given all of that, I
expect it would refer to an impersonal nod or a simple acknowledgement of another, but that is not proper, I understand it can be made.
I’ve seen it written as someone nodded “absently”, “perfunctorily” or “distractedly” but never “abstractly”.
Like the others noted, it suggests impersonality, distractedness. What does it mean when someone is nodding at you but not entirely paying attention
to what you’ve been saying?
One of the meanings of abstract given in the OED is stated by the date
- “December 17, 1916; Withdrawn from the contemplation on present objects; // abstracted adj. 2. Arch.
Do you understand “nodded abstinently” – “nodded as though with the mind on other things”.
What does the usage of Abstractly mean? If such an archaic word would not fit the rest of the text, or the next line of text, without showing any hint or hint of it? It is most likely that this writer intended abstractedly, which means that the same and is in current use.
Do you have a negative comment
about Distractedly?
When I searched for instances of this I found in fan fiction and amateur short stories. Why? I’m not sure there’s a proper turn of phrase, probably someone misheard Nodded Distractedly and got it wrong.
Is there really a solution
that just doesn’t make sense?
