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By JAMES J. KILPATRICK
The Court of Peeves, Irks and Crotchets, facing an exceptionally heavy docket, extends its April assizes to hear two class actions. The first asks the court to rule on, “More importantly, the committee acted without a dissenting vote.”
Petitioners before the court are equally divided. Some say “more importantly.” Some say “more important.” Others say, “The hell with it, recast the sentence.”
The court will now rule. Use “more important” except when your ear tells you to use “more importantly.”
Both the adverb and the adjective have been used by respected writers, H.L. Mencken once spoke of the cost of World War I to England, “not only in men and money but also and more importantly in the things of the spirit.” William Safire, wordmaster for The New York Times, has some sound advice: “More important, do not confuse ‘masterful’ with ‘masterly.’”
The court will not accept an exhibit taken from Natural History magazine, which sent a flier to potential subscribers: “Mostly importantly, you will receive ...” Bailiff! Order in the court! Have that sentence removed!
The court’s general felling is that “importantly” is a pouter pigeon of a word. It is all puffed up. The adverb struts and swaggers. Look at me! The court acknowledges that not much may be said in favor of “more important,” either. When in doubt, recast: “What is of greater importance,” etc. Next case!
A large class of plaintiffs asks for an order restoring “take” and “bring” to their old employment. The old rule is that “take” implies movement away from the speaker; “bring” implies movement toward the speaker.
The court will enter the order, but it won’t do much good. The old distinction has lost most of its support. Consider some of the plaintiffs’ exhibits:
From The New York Times: “A seriously divided Israeli government on Friday rejected a Red Cross request to bring relief supplies to 415 deported Palestinians ...”
From The Cincinnati Enquirer, in a question to the automobile editor: “When I brought my 1986 Dodge Lancer in for a tuneup recently ...”
From the Los Angeles Daily News: “It is enough for us that American troops and supplies have been streaming into Somalia to bring
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