Is this title correct?

[MonikaRuth]

This isn't really a writing question that pertains to any of my projects right now, but just a little wondering I was doing about grammar.

I have an online website that provides support for "new" atheists/agnostics.
When made the group a long time ago I named it "Live Godless."

Now I look at the title and think that it could possibly be grammatically incorrect. Or maybe it's not. Or maybe it is.

So, can you help me out before I go crazy?

"Live Godless" -Does it work? Or should it be "Living Godless" or even "Live Godlessly" UGH this shouldn't be that difficult! But for me it is. We all have our days, I suppose.

[cornflake]

Originally Posted by MonikaRuth

This isn't really a writing question that pertains to any of my projects right now, but just a little wondering I was doing about grammar.

I have an online website that provides support for "new" atheists/agnostics.
When made the group a long time ago I named it "Live Godless."

Now I look at the title and think that it could possibly be grammatically incorrect. Or maybe it's not. Or maybe it is.

So, can you help me out before I go crazy?

"Live Godless" -Does it work? Or should it be "Living Godless" or even "Live Godlessly" UGH this shouldn't be that difficult! But for me it is. We all have our days, I suppose.

It's not incorrect - but it can be read a variety of ways. It depends on what you want to say. If you want it to read as an exhortation of sorts, that's what that is.

It can be read as the other live, as in living; it doesn't make sense that way, but if you misread 'godless' as 'godess' you can see how the entire thing can be misread. You'd have the same issue with 'living godless.'

Living godlessly implies you are, not that you're exhorting someone to. They can both be read as groups one might get tips on doing it from, I'd think, regardless. Aren't I helpful?

[ElaineA]

Monika, I'm chuckling here because this seemed like such a simple question when I first read your post. And then, of course, one begins to think through the wide range of messages two little words (and their variants) can generate...well, it's not the least simple. The magic--and the bane--of language.

Exactly what message are you sending via you title? I agree with Cornflake that as it stands now, it's an exhortation (great word, btw, Cornflake). I thought of it as a chant. Someone standing in the square with a fist raised "Live Godless!" So if that's the tone you want to set, it does the job, IMO.

On the other hand, if you're trying to be a space that's dedicated to a softer approach, supportive and welcoming, maybe some other version is in order. And on yet another hand (you must be an octopus to answer this question), it's a website, so people who visit aren't going to microanalyze your titling, they'll be going by gut. If it drives eyes to the page, your title works. If you want others to link to your site from their own, the title becomes a bit more of a weighty issue. You'd be asking someone else with a website or blog to put your title on their page. They would want your site to reflect well on theirs and vice versa, so the title becomes more important.

I totally understand your UGH. Open the door to this question just a crack and a whole army of questions marches through. And in the middle of the night...the brain doesn't have much of a chance.

Maybe wait and see what your numbers look like, then decide if you want to make a change. How's that for a cop-out answer? Good luck! I hope you'll link to it in your signature. It sounds like an interesting website.

[August Talok]

"Live Godless" comes off a bit in your face.
"Living Godless" sounds like you're talking about your own experiences about living without god in your life.

But that's just one mans opinion.