Something is amiss...

[HaraKiriBlade]

it is greatly to both men's credit that they refused to apologize.

I'm not sure if I understand this sentence. Taken straight out of the new-years eve edition of Macleans which means this can't be a grammatical mistake.

My question is, it is greatly WHAT to both men's credit that they refused to apologise? is it greatly detrimental or greatly encouraging or... I don't know, I feel that there should be something to describe what's happening to 'both men's credit'. 'greatly' alone does not tell the story. What's happening here?

- HKB

[mykwyner]

Both men's values [as human beings] have increased because they did not apologize.

[HaraKiriBlade]

Hi mykwyner, it's good to see you here.

Thanks for answering my question. I have another question if you wouldn't mind: is 'it is greatly to' an idiom of some sort? it just sounds a bit awkward to me, doesn't seem like a standard English construction. As far as I know, 'greatly' only indicates magnitude, not the quality. Have I been wrong all along, or is this construction sort of a weird one but is commonly used nonetheless?

- HKB

[mykwyner]

Hi HKB,
You're right, that construction is somewhat dated and idiomatic, but it is still used in modern English. It is used in phrases like these:

I would be greatly surprised if he...
You will be greatly missed if you leave.
I will be greatly enriched if this investment...
Unless I'm greatly mistaken...

It is more typical of modern American English users to use very much in place of greatly in these situations.

[Dhruba]

Hi HKB,
You're right, that construction is somewhat dated and idiomatic, but it is still used in modern English. It is used in phrases like these:

I would be greatly surprised if he...
You will be greatly missed if you leave.
I will be greatly enriched if this investment...
Unless I'm greatly mistaken...

It is more typical of modern American English users to use very much in place of greatly in these situations.

thanks very much, mykwyner

Dhruba