The use of advise in the sense of inform, notify was found…
“The use of advise in the sense of inform, notify was found acceptable by a majority of the Usage Panel in an earlier survey, but many members would prefer that this usage be restricted to business correspondence and legal contexts. Thus one may say The suspects were advised of their rights, but it would be considered pretentious to say You'd better advise your friends that the date of the picnic has been changed.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote discusses acceptable and questionable uses of “advise” in formal versus informal contexts.
In simple terms: Formal vs informal use of “advise”.
Key Takeaway
Use “advise” appropriately based on audience.
Themes
language
usage
formality
Mood
informative
neutral
Type
statement
observation
When to use this quote
- legal writing
- business emails
- casual conversation
- editing
- style guides
Key Concepts
semantic nuance
register
pragmatics
Questions to Reflect On
- When is it okay to use “advise” informally?
- How does audience affect word choice?
A Different Perspective
Informal advice may be perceived as pretentious.