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amongst the backdrop
must have been repressed
Apr 15, 2012 15:35
13 yrs ago
9 viewers *
English term

Delicious or deliciously?

Non-PRO English Other Food & Drink
On a Dutch leaflet the English header 'Delicious tasting cupcakes' is used. I'm confused. Shouldn't this be 'Deliciously tasting cupcakes' as delicious is an adverb here? (It's a leaflet from the Dutch tea brand Pickwick)
Responses
5 +2 delicious
4 +8 delicious
4 +3 delicious
4 +3 delicious
4 Delicious
Change log

Apr 15, 2012 15:47: K Donnelly changed "Level" from "PRO" to "Non-PRO"

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

PRO (1): tihomir

Non-PRO (3): Tony M, Shera Lyn Parpia, K Donnelly

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Discussion

Sheila Wilson Apr 15, 2012:
@ Catherine You're right of course: "delicious/tasty cupcakes" says it all. However, in English monolingual, askers often want to know "is it wrong" and/or "why is it right" rather than "can it be improved" or "would you say that".
tihomir Apr 15, 2012:
from a grammatical viewpoint, "delicious tasting" is derived from the predicate "taste delicious". Why it is delicious and not deliciously is explained in the link in my answer.
Catherine Bolton Apr 15, 2012:
Delicious ... But wouldn't it be more natural to say they are "delicious cupcakes" or "tasty cupcakes" instead of "deliciously tasty cupcakes"?
Sheila Wilson Apr 15, 2012:
I understand what you're saying When you consider it from a grammatical viewpoint, perhaps it should be. However, I see it as a compound adjective i.e. these particular cupcakes are "delicious tasting cupcakes". On the other hand you could say they are "deliciously tasty cupcakes".
Tony M Apr 15, 2012:
Good point, Catherine! Saying it like this sort of begs the point: "... but they make you ill later"! When we say "Delicious-looking...", it often tends to suggest that in fact they only looked delicious, but weren't actually.
Catherine Bolton Apr 15, 2012:
Delicious You really don't even need the word "tasting". Delicious cupcakes does the trick on its own. The word implies taste anyway.
Tony M Apr 15, 2012:
Adverb It would only be 'deliciously' if the person doing the tasting was what was delicious — and a rather unlikely lexical choice at that!

Responses

+2
6 mins
Selected

delicious

With the verbs for the senses (taste, feel, smell...) you use the -ly form only if the verb involves an active action.
(see Rule 2 in the link).
Reference:

http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/adjAdv.asp

Peer comment(s):
agree NancyLynn
9 mins
agree Veronika McLaren : good grammar reference: there is no action of "tasting" performed by the cupcakes.
2 hrs
Thanks:) It would have been weird if the cupcakes had mouths and tongues could taste (themselves?!) in a delicious way.:)
neutral B D Finch : What "active action" is involved in "smelly"? I suggest you get yourself a better grammar book. // Exactly, but that is what you wrote! "With the verbs for the senses (taste, feel, smell...) you use the -ly form only if ..."
17 hrs
Think again! ..... "Tasting" and "smelling" are forms of the verb. "Tasty" and "smelly" are not. // Yes, "the -ly form" as in "deliciousLY". Verbs don't have a "-ly form".
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks for your clear explanation, now I understand!"
+8
3 mins

delicious

Definitely "delicious". The cupcakes taste delicious, so they are delicious-tasting cupcakes.

If you car looks nice, its a nice-looking car, not a nicely looking car.
Peer comment(s):
agree Shera Lyn Parpia
0 min
agree Tony M
0 min
agree NancyLynn
13 mins
agree Charles Davis
14 mins
agree Lara Barnett
46 mins
agree Martin Riordan
1 hr
agree Patricia Fierro, M. Sc.
2 hrs
agree liz askew
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
+3
3 mins

delicious

Delicious is correct.
The cupcakes taste delicious, not deliciously
Peer comment(s):
agree Tony M
1 min
Thank you!
agree Lara Barnett
46 mins
Thanks :)
agree Martin Riordan
1 hr
Thanks!
Something went wrong...
+3
4 mins

delicious

delicious-tasting cupcakes. I can't quote you the grammatical rule, but I am sure nothing would be described as "deliciously-tasting".
Peer comment(s):
agree Tony M
0 min
Thank you.
agree NancyLynn
12 mins
Thank you.
agree Martin Riordan
1 hr
Тhank you.
Something went wrong...
5 mins

Delicious

"Delicious tasting cupcakes" is a reduced form of "cupcakes which taste delicious." "Taste" here is a linking verb followed by adjective, so when the clause is reduced for concise purpose, it is as you see.
Something went wrong...
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