I understand you "crystal clearly"

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hereinchina
Posts: 119
Joined: Fri May 29, 2009 1:47 pm

I understand you "crystal clearly"

Post by hereinchina » Fri Sep 17, 2010 2:31 pm

Hello,
I know you can say "crystal clear" but is it grammatically correct to say "crystal clearly? Is the following sentence grammatically correct?
"I understand you crystal clearly."

jotham
Posts: 509
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:51 am

Re: I understand you "crystal clearly"

Post by jotham » Fri Sep 17, 2010 4:35 pm

hereinchina wrote:Hello,
I know you can say "crystal clear" but is it grammatically correct to say "crystal clearly? Is the following sentence grammatically correct?
"I understand you crystal clearly."
I would say "I understand you crystal clear," even though it doesn't seem grammatical. I suppose if you said "crystal clearly," I would think you're not a native speaker.

daleglendale
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 3:57 am
Location: Spain

Post by daleglendale » Sat Sep 18, 2010 3:00 pm

Since nobody uses this expression in the adverbial form ( "crystal clearly"), you would have to use "crystal clear" as an adjective: "I understand you. (It's) Crystal clear." That would be the simplest way to get around having to use the adverb of manner ("clearly"). I hope this is clear (crystal clear ?).

jotham
Posts: 509
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:51 am

Post by jotham » Wed Sep 22, 2010 12:56 pm

daleglendale wrote:Since nobody uses this expression in the adverbial form ( "crystal clearly"), you would have to use "crystal clear" as an adjective: "I understand you. (It's) Crystal clear." That would be the simplest way to get around having to use the adverb of manner ("clearly"). I hope this is clear (crystal clear ?).
I don't know. I swear I've heard native speakers say exactly this expression: "I understand you crystal clear."

hereinchina
Posts: 119
Joined: Fri May 29, 2009 1:47 pm

thanks

Post by hereinchina » Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:32 pm

Hello,
thanks guys, I'll avoid using "crystal clearly".

Metamorfose
Posts: 345
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2003 2:21 pm
Location: Brazil

Post by Metamorfose » Thu Sep 23, 2010 5:57 pm

I believe that 'crystal clear' works both as an adjective (It's crystal clear for me) and adverb (I understand you crystal clear) look how words like fast, hard and right behave in English. What one can argue is that crystal clear is a word on its own, different from clear.

There was a discussion here on highlight and light and the way they behave in the system (the English language). A word used isolated can change its grammatical paradigm when compounded.

José

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