to remind people of the word "singly"

[Maestoso]

Where did it go? Why has "singularly" taken over? I don't understand. One is single. Unusual is singular. Loaves of bread sold one at a time are sold singly. One unusual frock could be described as a singular frock and sold singly. I'm sad for singly, it's dying a death.

I'm generally pretty hot on grammar and usage, but you have reminded me of a now little used word here. Thank you!
Sad for singly made me smile

This is the kind of minor but also very important shit I love to see on mn 😄 And you are right of course, thanks op!

This is how I feel about everything design being 'cohesive'. Good on you OP, you campaign for the protection of singly, and I'll lobby for coherent.

It's too much like jingly

That's a very singular take on it, for sure. A single letter can change so much.

Don't, you'll start me off on 'simple' and 'simplistic', and then I'll move on to 'fabric' and 'fabrication', and before we know where we are the whole day will be lost to pedantry.

I think you and I would be friends in real life. I am such a grammar pedant.

Singular is an adjective and noun, whereas singly is an adverb, therefore they are used differently.

Thank you OP. I have plans to use the word 'singly' into at least one conversation today.

Ah, it's hard isn't it? Harder in real life when I know I will just annoy people by correcting them but I want to say 'But simplistic is such a marvellous and useful word, and that lovely linen shift dress is indeed gorgeously simple but without the 'tic' added.'

Argh! The Internet has taught me that people don't actually want to know. Which makes me genuinely sad.
Anyway, yes, let's all find a use for the lovely 'singly' soon.

No singular simplistic linen-fabricated dresses required.
I'm pondering commas now. I want to add commas to that sentence but, at the same time, I like the way it flows without them.
It's going to be a long day...😂

I absolutely love this but realise I'm guilty as I don't think I've used the word singly in many moons. I will do better!

Anyone who uses “utilise” when “use” will do needs to be killed for the good of the human race.
Killed slowly and painfully if they spell it “utilize”… grrr!

They are not synonyms. It drives me crazy.

I think I would still use it but only as in the OP, with “sold”.

I think I would ask a shop assistant “Are these sold singly?”

When I saw the thread title I almost didn’t recognise the word though, so thank you!

It's a horrible word to say. Just feels horrible in my mouth. I'd say 'individually', much nicer.

While you're all here, have you seen the thread with the word 'disencourage' in the title? 😱

Oh god, this reminds me of my days working on acute MH ward. Notes regularly featured "the patient utilised leave appropriately" (went for a walk and came back on time), "patient utilised the phone after lunch" (phoned his mum)... Christ on a bike!

I’ll join you in your quest to reinstate the poor mistreated words.

I agree with this, and I'm usually a language grump who hates change.

Come now. If we're going to be pedants, what else could it die but a death?
But I agree: singly has a fine, distinct meaning (like discrete and disinterested) and should be reinstated.

‘Lost’, you say? Or gained…

I would like a sticky to go on all Mn threads that screams DISCREET AND DISCRETE MEAN COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS!

This seems to be a general approach to all 'ly' words.

I am so fed up with hearing 'He did brilliant' etc. He did brilliantly!!

Can I speak up for 'disinterested'? If it turns into another word for uninterested, we have to use a less precise word for disinterested. Impartial is subtly different to me.

But I'm trying to reinstate 'amn't I' and even forget to use it myself.

I feel similarly about purposely and purposefully - not the same meaning.

But cohesive and coherent aren't really synonymous. They both loosely mean 'together' but:
All the elements of a cohesive design work well together.
All the elements of a coherent design are recognisably together in time or space.