Answer: Averse vs. Adverse

[kay-brooke.livejournal.com]

blackmare_9 asks: When do you use averse versus adverse?

With examples from Stargate.



Writers often misuse "averse" and "adverse." Other than that they are both negative words, they're completely different.

Averse is an adjective that needs to be followed by the preposition "to" (in a few cases it can be followed by "from," but that's rare and it's probably better to stick to "to"). "Averse" means unwilling or disinclined, and is usually used as something a person feels.

Example: Daniel wanted to attend the lecture, but Jack was averse to anything involving classrooms and PowerPoint slides.

Adverse is an attributive adjective that means unfavorable or harmful. It is used to indicate that something is hostile or in opposition to something or someone else. It is usually not followed by "to" and is almost never applied to people, just things or situations.

Example: The Puddlejumper was grounded because of adverse weather conditions.

While both words can mean "hostile," they have definite usage differences. You would never describe a person as "adverse," or say that they are "adverse to" something. The correct usage there is always "averse."

To remember, think of the words "aversion" and "adversity." We apply "aversion" to people and often add a "to" after it. So if you can reword a sentence so that "aversion" makes sense, the word you're probably looking for is "averse."

Example: "Well, I'm sorry, Major," said McKay, "but I have a strong aversion to morons."

Example: "Well, I'm sorry, Major," said McKay, "but I'm strongly averse to morons."

Same thing with "adverse" and "adversity."

Example: "We'll just have to face each adversity as it comes," said Colonel Young.

Example: "We'll just have to face each adverse situation as it comes," said Colonel Young.

Comments

[horusguard76.livejournal.com]

Thank you for explaining this. So far I have only felt the slight different but never truly knew where it laid. Guess, this mystery is solved then. :)

[tejas.livejournal.com]

What great timing! I'd just used "averse" in a fic and had the nagging thought that maybe I should make sure I was using it right. You saved me the research time. Thanks! (And I *did*! I *did* use it right! :-)

[campylobacter.livejournal.com]

(i can haz link to abovementioned fic?)

[tejas.livejournal.com]

I don't remember if the word made it into the final edit. ;-) Worthy (http://tejas.livejournal.com/189155.html), an NCIS, Tony/Gibbs slash fic.

[campylobacter.livejournal.com]

Oh, waaaaah! I've never seen an episode of NCIS (not even sure what the show's premise is) so I'm lost, lost, lost.

I'll have to settle with some of your good, old-fashioned Jack/Daniel crack (http://tejas.livejournal.com/23555.html?view=4233987#t4233987). ;-)

[tejas.livejournal.com]

LOL!!! NCIS is fun, at least the early seasons are fun. The last couple have pretty much sucked rocks with a few exceptions.

But do enjoy the SG1. I will be doing some SG1 stories in the same universe as Worthy, though. :-)