On ‘Several’ and ‘Severally’ (and the Mutability of Language
On ‘Several’ and ‘Severally’
Language evolves, new words and new phrases push old ones out or old words acquire new usage, old rules are broken to make way for new ones and so on and so forth : I am aware of this. In fact, the mutability and the flexibility and the docility (or perhaps rebelliousness?) of language, particularly of the English language excite me. The Nigerian case even delights me more: that a language created to bamboozle and confound us (think of all the rules, the spellings that don’t make sense) can be brought to its knees and moulded into forms that in turn confound the colonialists is sweet revenge. However, to quote Picasso, “Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist.” I use variations of this quote in class to remind students that the difference between ‘playing with language’ and ‘misusing language’ is in knowing that you are doing it, in being intentional about it.
There’s perhaps no other word so unintentionally misused in Nigeria as ‘severally.’ It sounds like it should be a natural and obvious synonym for ‘several times.’ Brethren, don’t let that fool you, it is anything but.
‘Severally’ means:
1.
separately, individually, or distinctly
2.
each in turn; respectively (Collins Dictionary)
(And this from www.businessdictionary.com):
Exclusively, separately, singly, or solely: a severally-owned property is owned by one entity only, and being severally responsible for a debt or obligation is to be solely-responsible for its payment or satisfaction.
Examples of usage (taken from sentencedict.com and businessdictionary.com)
(1) These issues can be considered severally, or as a whole.
(2) They had all severally reached the same conclusion.
(3) Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent.
(4) Partners are jointly and severally liable for a partnership's debts.
(5) It was a severally owned place, which meant that he was the only owner and all of us would need permission from him to do business.
So, please, brethren, if you think this is a word you ever want to use (especially in writing and in formal settings), go thee forth and use it properly.
PS Perhaps, I am the one who’s behind on how the usage of ‘severally’ has already changed in Nigerian English, and has joined other words like ‘gist’ and ‘opportuned’ and most recently ‘swallow’ to become peculiarly Nigerian in usage. I am here for that change.
Except for ‘swallow.’ I still can’t bring myself to call fufu ‘swallow.’ It's not my portion abeg! :)
Language evolves, new words and new phrases push old ones out or old words acquire new usage, old rules are broken to make way for new ones and so on and so forth : I am aware of this. In fact, the mutability and the flexibility and the docility (or perhaps rebelliousness?) of language, particularly of the English language excite me. The Nigerian case even delights me more: that a language created to bamboozle and confound us (think of all the rules, the spellings that don’t make sense) can be brought to its knees and moulded into forms that in turn confound the colonialists is sweet revenge. However, to quote Picasso, “Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist.” I use variations of this quote in class to remind students that the difference between ‘playing with language’ and ‘misusing language’ is in knowing that you are doing it, in being intentional about it.
There’s perhaps no other word so unintentionally misused in Nigeria as ‘severally.’ It sounds like it should be a natural and obvious synonym for ‘several times.’ Brethren, don’t let that fool you, it is anything but.
‘Severally’ means:
1.
separately, individually, or distinctly
2.
each in turn; respectively (Collins Dictionary)
(And this from www.businessdictionary.com):
Exclusively, separately, singly, or solely: a severally-owned property is owned by one entity only, and being severally responsible for a debt or obligation is to be solely-responsible for its payment or satisfaction.
Examples of usage (taken from sentencedict.com and businessdictionary.com)
(1) These issues can be considered severally, or as a whole.
(2) They had all severally reached the same conclusion.
(3) Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent.
(4) Partners are jointly and severally liable for a partnership's debts.
(5) It was a severally owned place, which meant that he was the only owner and all of us would need permission from him to do business.
So, please, brethren, if you think this is a word you ever want to use (especially in writing and in formal settings), go thee forth and use it properly.
PS Perhaps, I am the one who’s behind on how the usage of ‘severally’ has already changed in Nigerian English, and has joined other words like ‘gist’ and ‘opportuned’ and most recently ‘swallow’ to become peculiarly Nigerian in usage. I am here for that change.
Except for ‘swallow.’ I still can’t bring myself to call fufu ‘swallow.’ It's not my portion abeg! :)
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