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Thread: need clarification vs to be clarified

  1. #1
    ostap77 is offline Key Member
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    Default need clarification vs to be clarified

    "I need clarification on this issue."

    OR

    "I need to be clarified on this issue."

    Would they be equally natural? Is there a difference in meaning?

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    Default Re: need clarification vs to be clarified

    The first is correct; the second isn't.
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    Default Re: need clarification vs to be clarified

    Quote Originally Posted by ostap77 View Post
    "I need clarification on this issue."

    OR

    "I need to be clarified on this issue."

    Would they be equally natural? Is there a difference in meaning?
    Quote Originally Posted by 5jj View Post
    The first is correct; the second isn't.
    Another (correct) option would be, "This issue needs to be clarified."
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    Default Re: need clarification vs to be clarified

    Quote Originally Posted by 5jj View Post
    The first is correct; the second isn't.
    "There's a certain issue I need clarified." ?
    Last edited by ostap77; 03-Nov-2011 at 12:30.

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    Default Re: need clarification vs to be clarified

    Quote Originally Posted by ostap77 View Post
    "There's certain issue I need clarified." ?
    This might work in my dialect, but in standard English you would need to say "issue which needs to be clarified" or "issue which needs clarifying."

    Also it's "a" certain issue.
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    Default Re: need clarification vs to be clarified

    Quote Originally Posted by ostap77 View Post
    "There's certain issue I need clarified." ?
    I would say: (not a teacher)

    There's a certain issue that needs to be clarified
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    Default Re: need clarification vs to be clarified

    Quote Originally Posted by SoothingDave View Post
    This might work in my dialect, but in standard English you would need to say "issue which needs to be clarified" or "issue which needs clarifying."

    Also it's "a" certain issue.
    Where are you from in the Sates? I was trying to imply that I need someone to clarify it for me as in "There's so much work I need done. (I need someone to do it for me)"?
    Last edited by ostap77; 03-Nov-2011 at 12:55.

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    Default Re: need clarification vs to be clarified

    I am from western Pennsylvania. I understand your statement completely. You need the work done. You need the issue clarified. Which means you need someone to do the work so that it is then "done." Or someone to clarify the meaning to you.

    That's not standard English, however useful and concise this formulation is.

    Even in the standard English phrasing "I need this issue to be clarified" it is understood that you need someone else to do the clarifying.
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    Default Re: need clarification vs to be clarified

    Quote Originally Posted by SoothingDave View Post
    I am from western Pennsylvania. I understand your statement completely. You need the work done. You need the issue clarified. Which means you need someone to do the work so that it is then "done." Or someone to clarify the meaning to you.

    That's not standard English, however useful and concise this formulation is.

    Even in the standard English phrasing "I need this issue to be clarified" it is understood that you need someone else to do the clarifying.
    "............doing the work that America needs done."? It's an extract from the Barack Obama's address. Why would the speaker use here "needs done" not "needs to be done"? I can give you the whole sentence, if you need.
    Last edited by ostap77; 03-Nov-2011 at 13:12.

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    SoothingDave is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: need clarification vs to be clarified

    I believe we discussed this very utterance a couple weeks ago.

    It sounds OK to me this way. Perhaps this type of use will become standard.
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