New use of old word

[Alan]

Hi,

Let me share with you a usage I heard on the radio this morning of the word 'eventually'. The interviewee was talking about the likelihood or not of a country joining a political alliance and he said: This country was already going to be an eventually joiner - in fact a very eventually joiner. Now usually 'eventually' is an adverb suggesting 'in the end' or 'with the passage of time'. But in this use it is being used as an adjective suggesting at some time in the future and then being qualified with 'very' indicating that the prospect of it becoming a joiner being much further into the future.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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[Yankee]

You seem to be able to get all interested and enthusiastic about unusual usages of words as long as it happens in Britain. Yet you can't quite manage to accept common usages in American English that differ from your British usage.
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic27713.html#100287
No dirty tricks, Alan. Simply stating what's there to see.
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[Torsten]

Hi Alan,

This reminds me of your Rhapsody of Words in which you describe how a new word finds its entry into the dictionary. The use of "eventually" you mention sounds very similar to the German "eventuell".

Regards,
Torsten
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Alan]

Hi,

[Yankee]

.
Can't quite come to grips with the fact that there is a lot you don't know about standard usage in American English, eh?
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[Torsten]

Hi Amy,

Fortunately you can tell us everything about standard usage in American English.
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary