Position of adverbs

[Pete]

I have just written a sentence that says: "This is the area in which regulations may validly be made." It made me start thinking about word order and the position of the adverb. Other possibilities seem to be:

"This is the area in which regulations may be validly made."

"This is the area in which regulations may be made validly."

"This is the area in which regulations validly may be made."

I think they all say the same thing, although the last one seems rather clumsy to me and I would not use it. But are there any special rules in this area?

[Barry]

I'm not really an expert on this, Pete, but I think you may be right - there isn't a huge amount of difference in practical terms. I'm just not too fond of the adverb validly - it feel clumsly wherever it's put. I think (in a formal context), I'd recast to read something like:

"It may be valid to make recommendations in this area"
"Making recommendations in this area may carry (some) validity"

[SusanB]

That's interesting.
I'm not sure why, but to me, 'may' in Barry's suggestions make the validity sound less certain than in Pete's sentences. (In the first set I am equating 'may' with 'can', but not in the second set.)
Is it just me?

[Pete]

In my case, the context is definitely that of permission or legal vires. So regulations maybe laid in respect of certain issues means that the regulations will be lawful or vires, rather than ultra vires.

[Paul Doherty]

I'd say may be validly made would be the normal pattern in speech, and may validly be made is the sort of thing an ultra-careful (or a slightly pompous?) speaker -- maybe a barrister in court? -- would say. Of course, you may want the "legal effect".

I suspect may validly be made is the result of people learning to avoid the dreaded split infinitive and carrying the habit over to non-infinitives.

[Pete]

May 19, 2008 12:43:04 GMT Paul Doherty said:

I'd say may be validly made would be the normal pattern in speech, and may validly be made is the sort of thing an ultra-careful (or a slightly pompous?) speaker -- maybe a barrister in court? -- would say. Of course, you may want the "legal effect".

Paul, as it happens, you are right on the button here. The context is the legal (i.e. tax) textbook which I am up-dating. So I am definitely in 'legalistic' and super-precise mode. And my wife reminds me at least weekly about my propensity to pomposity.

Thanks for all the helpful comments.

[Paul Doherty]

May 19, 2008 14:28:14 GMT Pete said:

And my wife reminds me at least weekly about my propensity to pomposity.

They can be cruel, can't they?

[Sue M-V]

They can be cruel, can't they?

Sometimes, you have to be cruel to be kind, don't you know!

Sue