Why do we say "a highly international holiday"

[Kharkhun]

Why do we say "a highly international holiday" and not "a high international holiday" ?

 

[Roman55]

I am not a teacher.

Because you are using the word to modify "international" and not "holiday" so you require an adverb.

The sentence itself seems a bit strange but there is no such thing as a high holiday. "Highly international" means "very international".

 

[5jj]

I have not come across the expression 'a highly international holiday'. When I read the question 'Why do we say "a highly international holiday ...?', my first reaction was to respond 'We don't'.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Judaism has "High Holidays", specifically Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah. However, I would not describe them as "high international holidays". I would consider "international High Holidays" since Judaism crosses all borders, but that would not be common. I agree with 5jj's thoughts about "highly international holiday".

 

[Rover_KE]

Kharkhun, why do you think we say 'a highly international holiday'?

 

[Kharkhun]

I just read this sentence in Facebook.

 

[emsr2d2]

Was it written by a native speaker? What was the whole sentence?

 

[Kharkhun]

The original sentences is: (Written in Voxy Page on Facebook)

Mardi Gras is a highly international holiday. Some of the other major celebrations take place in Germany (as "Karneval"), Italy (as "Martedi Grasso"), Trinidad (as "J'Ouvert"), and Mexico (as "Martes de Carnaval")."

And yes. The writers are native speakers.

 

[emsr2d2]

In my opinion, that's a poor use of the word "highly". I would have written something like "Mardi Gras is a holiday/festival which is celebrated internationally" or "Mardi Gras is an internationally-celebrated holiday/festival".

 

[5jj]

I don't think I'd use 'highly intenational' at all, but I don't object to it in the way it's used in these sentences. It would even just about work if I read "Mardi Gras is a highly international festival in Rio. Tens of thousands of vistors from all over the world flock to the city for the event" However, in the sense of it being celebrated all over the world, I'd go for ems's suggestions or say that it is 'a truly international holiday'.

 

[Tdol]

There are many examples of truly international in COCA and the BNC- it is the most natural collocation for this meaning IMO.