It sounds unpalatable and constitutes an abuse of the language. The adjective “woefully” has become a familiar choice among many writers and speakers of English. It is widely used—by both the average and the sophisticated— to express disappointment or disapproval. Let’s begin this way: to understand why language purists frown at the repeated use of what the masters of the Queen’s English consider an aberration—the word “woefully”—to describe poor performance, we must first examine its meaning. For example, when a student fails an examination such as WAEC or NECO, or when a government fails to deliver the dividends of democracy, many are quick to conclude that the person or administration has “failed woefully.” It has sadly become an established cliché.
Few writers or speakers pause to ask whether the adverb “woefully” is the appropriate word to express disappointment or frustration over poor performance. To understand this point, consider the noun “woe.” According to reliable English thesauruses, it denotes affliction, distress, agony, anguish, bitterness, grief, melancholy, misery, sorrow, torment, tribulation, and wretchedness. Its adjectives include afflicted, anguished, disconsolate, distressed, miserable, and sorrowful. Now, turning to the adverb “woefully,” often used or written without much thought— imagine applying it to something distressing, dreadful, tragic, grievous, or pitiable.
Does it really fit when describing performance or ability? Consider this example: “Mr. Jones failed woefully in the examination,” or “Senator Stone performed woefully by not delivering the dividends of democracy to his constituency.” Does this truly sound right? Not quite. A better choice would be “Senator Stone performed abysmally,” or “Mr. Jones failed abysmally.” The adverb “abysmally” correctly conveys something extremely bad or terrible, while “woefully” relates more to sorrow and distress than to poor performance. After all, the noun “woe” carries the sense of a curse or misfortune.
One can say, “Woe betide anyone who offends you,” or recall the words of Jesus Christ in the Bible, who rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees for their hypocrisy and pretentious lifestyles. For instance, in Luke 6:25, He said, “But woe unto you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation.” Therefore, choose your words carefully. Say what you mean— and mean what you say—for clarity and proper understanding by your audience.
