ADVERBS

There is a category of words whose main function is to determine the verb of a sentence. An English example would be: tomorrow. But words that belong to the category of adjectives also have a special form to denote that they determine the verb, e.g. ordinarily, derived from the adj. ordinary.

In Greek the situation is similar: some adverbs  are only that, and are indeclinable; these have all sorts of forms and naturally are easily found in the dictionary, as there is only one form of them.  But adverbs derived from adj’s are characterized by a special ending:

-ως.

More precisely, to make the adverbial form, one takes the form >M pl  G  and changes the –ν into –ς.

Examples:

>M sg N  ἰσχυρός → >M pl G   ἰσχυρῶν→ adv ἰσχυρῶς

>M sg N  εὐδαίμων→ >M pl G   εὐδαιμόνων→adv εὐδαιμόνως.

Sometimes the form >Ne sg Ac   is preferred to the adverbial form: πολὺ from πολύς, μέγα from μέγας. The adverb proper of these two almost never occurs. This is the rule in the comparative (see adjectives)

Also the form > Ne pl Ac  is sometimes used instead of the proper adv: σφόδρα from σφόδρος. This is the rule in the superlative (see adjectives)

The function of these forms is not strictly limited to determining the verb, but may also determine a) other adj’s, b) other adverbs: “An ordinarily calm person can be enraged by unexpected causes.”

Greek examples:

Ὰνδρείως μάχονται. They fight bravely.

Πολὺ ἀνδρειότερος εἰμί. I am much braver.

Σφόδρα ἀνδρείως μάχονται. They fight very bravely.