to better understand vs to deeper understand

[Alexey86]

Hello! Let's consider the following examples:

I want to better understand it.
I want to deeply understand it (not deeper).
I want to quickly understand it (not quicker).

I have three questions:

1. Why do you think to deeper/quicker understand are not welcome in contrast to better?
2. Are there any other adverbs/comparative adjectives that fit this pattern: to+adv/adj+verb?
3. Why do you think we can't say, "I want to early/earlier arrive home" or "I want to deeper/deeply dive in the river" (at least, I couldn't find any examples)?

I've highlighted do you think to prevent replies like, "Only grammarians and linguists could tell you why" or "That's just the way it is."

 

[emsr2d2]

You need "deeply" or "quickly" because they are adverbs, describing how the understanding is to be done.

 

[Alexey86]

You need "deeply" or "quickly" because they are adverbs, describing how the understanding is to be done.

Is better also an adverb?

 

[GoesStation]

Is better also an adverb?

What part of speech is the word that it modifies?

 

[Alexey86]

What part of speech is the word that it modifies?

Do you mean that better is an adverb just because it modifies understand?

 

[GoesStation]

Do you mean that better is an adverb [STRIKE]just[/STRIKE] because it modifies the verb understand?

Could better be another part of speech in the quoted sentence?

 

[Alexey86]

Could better be another part of speech in the quoted sentence?

It functions as a noun: "Do you mean that (what? ->) better is an adverb..."

Deeper also modifies the verb understand. Can we say, "I want to deeper understand it"?

 

[emsr2d2]

It functions as a noun: "Do you mean that (what? ->) better is an adverb..."

Deeper also modifies the verb understand. Can we say, "I want to deeper understand it"?

No. "Deeper" is an adjective so it has to modify a noun. You could say "I want a deeper understanding of it". There, "understanding" is a noun.

 

[GoesStation]

1. I want to better understand it.

What part of speech is the word that it modifies?

Do you mean that better is an adverb just because it modifies understand?

Could better be another part of speech in the quoted sentence?

It functions as a noun: "Do you mean that (what? ->) better is an adverb..."

I'm talking about the sentence I've labeled number 1 above. Can "better" be a noun in that sentence?

Deeper [/I]also modifies the verb understand. Can we say, "I want to deeper understand it"?

"Deeper" is an adjective. You may sometimes see a native speaker use it as an adverb, but you should not emulate them. Write I want to understand it more deeply.

 

[Alexey86]

I'm talking about the sentence I've labeled number 1 above. Can "better" be a noun in that sentence?

Sorry, GS, I don't follow you. Of course, better can't be a noun or a verb in that sentence.

"Deeper" is an adjective. You may sometimes see a native speaker use it as an adverb, but you should not emulate them. Write I want to understand it more deeply.

So, better can be an adjective and an adverb, while deeper is always an adjective. But we can say, "I want to quickly understand it" and "I want to understand it quickly." Why can't we say, "I want to early arrive home"? Is it because early answers to the question when, not how?

 

[GoesStation]

Sorry, GS, I don't follow you. Of course, better can't be a noun or a verb in that sentence.

I've been trying to guide you towards saying that better is an adverb in sentence one.

So, better can be an adjective and an adverb, while deeper is always an adjective. Correct. But we can say, "I want to quickly understand it" and "I want to understand it quickly." Why can't we say, "I want to early arrive home"?

I'm sure a grammarian could derive a principle to apply. I can only say that one is natural and the other isn't.

 

[emsr2d2]

The reason that "better" works in sentence one is that it is an adverb derived from "good". We don't say "more goodly"!

I want to understand it quickly > I want to quickly understand it
I want to understand it deeply > I want to deeply understand it
I want to understand it better > I want to better understand it

There is no "-ly" adverb that means the same as "better".

 

[Alexey86]

I've been trying to guide you towards saying that better is an adverb in sentence one.

I see, thank you.

I'm sure a grammarian could derive a principle to apply. I can only say that one is natural and the other isn't.

I added a question just before you replied: "Is it because early answers to the question when, not how?

 

[emsr2d2]

Is it because "early" answers [STRIKE]to[/STRIKE] the question "When ...", not "How ..."?

Well, that is certainly true.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

It functions as a noun: "Do you mean that (what? ->) better is an adverb..."

Deeper also modifies the verb understand. Can we say, "I want to deeper understand it"?

Notice that you got that answered in post #2.

 

[Alexey86]

Notice that you got that answered in post #2.

At that point, I mistakenly thought that "better" and "deeper" shared the same properties.

By the way, I made a mistake in my OP: I wrote "to deeply dive". I should've asked, "Why do you think we can't say, 'I want to early/earlier arrive home' or 'I want to deeper/deep dive in the river'?"

We can put "better" before and after a verb. "Deep" as an adverb answers the question "How" as "better" does. Why can't we say, "I want to deep dive in the river"?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with the difference between deep and deeply.

Is there a grammarian in the house?

 

[Alexey86]

I've found the following distinction (https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/5268/how-deep-or-how-deeply):

Deeply is an adverb of manner or degree, and is commonly used as an intensifier.
Deep, when used as an adverb, is usually used as an adverb of place.
So:

• She understands the concept deeply. (Deeply is being used as an intensifier or adverb of manner or degree.)
• They are travelling deep underground. (Deep is being used as an adverb of place/location.)
• You're going to need to dig deep. (Deep is being used as an adverb of place/location, and also as a resultative.)
• How deep should I go? (Deep is being used as an adverb of place/location.)