Why do harness people say Good when it should be Well?

[Messenger]

You hear it all the time.
"He went good"

Is the word 'well' considered unlucky or something?

Today's example:

While he thinks the sprint races will suit him best, Ashwood has country cups in mind for the son of Auckland Reactor.

“He follows speed good, he’s got speed and gate speed. He’s got all the right ingredients to be a good country cup horse, but it’s up to him if he’s going to take the next step or not.

https://www.thetrots.com.au/news/art...ionship-heats/

I don't think I am a snob but I think it makes our participants sound uneducated

[Theoldfox]

I think that if you conducted a survey, you'd find that many participants were in the stables more than a school classroom during their formative years. Probably explains why they are "good" horse people and haven't grasped the English language quite as "well".

Personally, it doesn't bother me. The main point they are making is still clear and that is the purpose of their words. But, I agree with your note on the external image of participants and the sport. Perhaps trainer/driver media training is one very small part of the solution of resurrecting the industry.

You hear it all the time.
"He went good"

Is the word 'well' considered unlucky or something?

Today's example:

While he thinks the sprint races will suit him best, Ashwood has country cups in mind for the son of Auckland Reactor.

“He follows speed good, he’s got speed and gate speed. He’s got all the right ingredients to be a good country cup horse, but it’s up to him if he’s going to take the next step or not.

https://www.thetrots.com.au/news/art...ionship-heats/

I don't think I am a snob but I think it makes our participants sound uneducated

[Showgrounds]

A lot second and third generation participants endured school until they were old enough to leave. Paying attention in English classes was not their forte. Ignorance begets ignorance and the trots has historically been populated by persons who specialized in mangling the Queen's English when confronted with a microphone. None of this has changed much in the past fifty years. Fred Kersley, a third generation participant and early school leaver, has always been a very articulate speaker who considers his words when responding to questions asked by a person holding a microphone. He is an exception to my rule, though.

We try to reject the notion that harness racing is not a sport heavily populated by bogans. Alas, that image disintegrates as soon as somebody opens their mouth in public.

[aussiebreno]

No different to the rest of society.

G'day mate how ya goin?

Good thanks yaself?

Yeah good thanks.

[aussiebreno]

No different to the rest of society.

G'day mate how ya goin?

Good thanks yaself?

Yeah good thanks.

What are the odds of me posting this and 5 minutes later talking to someone on the phone and they say they're well. Probably why he is an orthodontist and not a horse trainer.

[Messenger]

No different to the rest of society.

G'day mate how ya goin?

Good thanks yaself?

Yeah good thanks.

Interesting example Breno
It is correct because they are saying "I am good"

Don’t worry; if you’re one of the many people who says “I am well” and/or “I feel differently” (both incorrect) during normal conversation, then I won’t feel good (yes, James Brown had it right all along!) about correcting you. ; )

First of all, let’s define the verb “to be" (I am, you are, she is, etc.). Yes, it is a verb, but it is not an action verb; instead it is a verb that indicates a state of being, better known as a linking verb.

For linking verbs that indicate states of being, such as “to be” and “to feel”, we should NOT use adverbs (such as "well" and "differently") to modify them. Instead we should use adjectives, to describe ourselves (people are nouns) instead of the verb itself. That’s why we say “I am hungry” instead of “I am hungrily” and “I feel happy” instead of “I feel happily.”

Another issue with the verb “to feel” is that it has another, more literal definition: to touch with your hands. If I use an adverb next to the verb “feel,” then it suggests this more literal definition of the verb.

Thus, you should not say “I feel differently” unless you are, for example, referring to your different style of reading braille. And you should not say “I do not feel well” unless you are specifically referencing an illness (or lack thereof), in which case "well" would be used not as an adverb, but as an adjective (well vs. unwell).

To summarize:

I feel well = incorrect unless specifically referencing a prior illness
I feel good = correct
I am feeling well = incorrect unless specifically referencing an illness
I am feeling good = correct

I am well = incorrect unless specifically referencing an illness
I am good = correct
I am doing well = correct

I feel differently = incorrect
I feel different = correct

Other examples of linking verbs (also known as intransitive linking verbs) that should be modified by adjectives instead of adverbs:

to seem
to appear
to grow (old, wise, weary, etc.)
to look
to remain
to sound
to stay
to taste

https://mcelroytutoring.com/blog-post.php?id=4163

Others say either

I think the problem is the 'going'
I don't think it is one of the verbs that requires good instead of well but English was never my favourite subject
I think it is the alliteration of 'going good' just hurts the ear somewhat

I am a bit worried about what I have started here LOL

[aussiebreno]

Gee, I've been duped by people purporting to be grammar Nazis.