Can I use this expression in the sense of 'sorted in ascending order'? The context is programming: sorting a data-structure or results of a query.
4
-
320 years of database work - never heard it used that way and frankly would find it odd to hear. "An ascending sort" or "sorted in ascending order" are the phrases I would expect to hear, and in technical documents - go for clarity over brevity every time.– Michael BroughtonFeb 23, 2016 at 19:39
-
4Sorted ascendingly sounds perfectly comprehensible, idiomatic, and fine to me.– WS2Feb 24, 2016 at 0:16
-
2@WS2 It sounds like you're alphabetizing a list while you walk up a staircase.– deadratFeb 24, 2016 at 0:38
-
"ascendingly" isn't in Merriam-Webster or Lexico, so I'd be cautious about using it in formal documents. That said, people would understand it (perhaps after a moment's thought).– Stuart FAug 18, 2021 at 9:01
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
It may technically be an acceptable adverb formation, but it is terribly uncomfortable. I would stick with "sorted in ascending order", as it would be readily understood by a larger audience than "ascendingly". Use of "ascendingly" would likely cause unnecessary confusion in your target audience: i.e. "What did they just say?". This would distract from your message.
