I draw readers’ attention to the adverb formally which occurs in the following context: “formally, there used to be tap water…”It should be obvious that the word has been used in confusion with formerly. The contextual meaning tells us in clear terms that the reporter has picked a wrong word. The word belonging to that context is formerly.
There is a difference between formally and formerly, a difference often blurred in the Nigerian perception by poor pronunciation. Next, we illustrate the difference in meaning and usage between former(ly) and formal(ly). Now read the following sentences: 1) It was surprising that a former chairman of our party could be so shameless as to join another party. 2) He earns much more salary here than he did in his former employment. 3) Disciplined and respectable as he seems, he has had two former wives. 4) Former students of the institution are holding meetings on the possibility of giving it a facelift. 5) In former times, Sanitary Inspectors had some of the powers reserved exclusively today for the police. 6) I ran into a former classmate who introduced me to the new business. 7) Two former governors are being prosecuted for embezzlement and related corrupt practices. 8) It is interesting listening to the testimonies of the former armed robber, now an evangelist. 9) One of the guests is a former beauty queen. 10) One of the governors is a former labour leader. 11) The clinic was formerly housed in an old property belonging to the Local Government. 12) The school formerly belonged to a Christian Mission. 13) The young man was formerly working with an expatriate firm. 14) Our rates of pay were formerly higher than those of the civil servants. 15) It was formerly thought that the earth was flat. 16) Mathematics was formerly regarded as an arts subject. 17) The Nigerian economy formerly ranked among the strongest in the third world countries. 18) The English language formerly belonged exclusively to the British Isles. 19) The nursing profession was formerly associated with women only. 20) Twins were formerly believed to be demons or gods unfit to live with humans.
The word formal(ly) has do with official situations or conditions or behaviour. Now read the following sentences: 1) It is now time to formally welcome our guests. 2) The former leaders have not formally handed over to the new leaders. 3) The President formally announced the dissolution of the council yesterday. 4) The formal inauguration of the 8th Senate was characterized by controversy. 5) The occasion was declared open formally by the Vice Chancellor. 6) Formal education in modern times is synonymous with western education. 7) Before any other thing, we must have formal introduction. 8) Nobody can occupy a position like that without formal training. 9) The case will be presented formally today. 10) To be admitted into the hall, you have to be formally dressed. 11) Jokes of that nature should not be cracked on formal occasions. 12) A formal meeting is being arranged between the new Senate President and the President of the Federal Republic. 13) A letter has been written formally appointing him as MD. 14) Since the meeting has not adjourned formally, nobody should leave. 15) The chairman formally assumed duty last Wednesday. 16) The Matriculation day is the day new students are formally admitted into the university system. 17) The so-called engagement is the occasion the future groom’s parents formally request the future bride’s parents to release their daughter to them. 18) Retirement marks the retiree’s formal disengagement from service. 19) This is not an occasion for formal, boring speeches but for celebration and jollity. 20) The book will be formally presented to the public before the end of the year.
At any rate, the word formerly should replace formally in the context under review.
Sample 2: “She lamented that the wide spate of corruption in Nigeria are results of greed and selfishness perpetuated by today’s leaders…”(Bad Leadership: Adeboye Blames Family Breakdown, The Nation, Sunday February 5, 2017)
The expression ‘the wide spate of corruption’ is a meaningless one. What could it have been intended to mean? Widespread corruption? Frequent occurrences of cases of corruption? The idea is not clearly thought out and the expressiondoes not even help matters.
A more serious grammatical matter is the reporter’s choice of the plural verb-form (are) in the following context: ‘the wide spate of corruption in Nigeria are results of greed and selfishness…’ What is the subject noun phrase whose plural nature has guided the reporter in his choice of the plural verb: are? What is the noun phrase having a logical connection to the verb slot and which should influence the inflection of the verb for the purpose of concord? That word is spate, a word that is obviously in its singular form. There is obviously a breach of concord here. The verb-form should actually be singular in consistency with the singular form of the relevant noun.
Finally, we consider the choice of the word perpetuate in the following context: ‘greed and corruption perpetuated by today’s leaders.’ The word perpetuated has been used in confusion with perpetrated. What is the difference?
In the context of crime, fraud, dishonest deals, etc, the appropriate word is perpetrate and not perpetuate. It is true that the two words are similar in appearance, but they have completely different meanings.
Let’s illustrate the usage of the word perpetrate: (1) The young men who perpetrated the crime are being trailed by the police. (2) The former MD is being tried for perpetrating a large scale fraud. (3) Those who perpetrate evil may escape justice here on earth, but will definitely have their just reward in the hereafter. (4) The fraud for which he is being tried was perpetrated many years before he took over as chairman. (5) The men should be punished in accordance with the degrees of the crime they perpetrated. (6) The former Head of State is being tried for the atrocities he perpetrated while he was in office.
Now perpetuate: (1) Language is the chief means by which cultural values are perpetuated. (2) The Sunday School programme is an instrument through which Christian teachings are perpetuated. (3) The human body system has a way of perpetuating both healthy and errant genes. (4) We run a system which perpetuates poverty among the weak and the vulnerable, but wealth among the strong and powerful. (5) Our institutions have been perpetuating harmful habits and practices for generations now. (6) Traditional institutions have been perpetuated for centuries.
From those sentences, we know that the verb perpetuate involves keeping something alive, making something survive, keeping something in existence for a long time. This is different from perpetrate which is used in the context of criminal activities.
At any rate, the word perpetrated should replace perpetuated in the context under review.
Formally or formerly perpetrating evil
and then