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#2 (permalink) Fri Oct 27, 2006 22:18 pm Cear air vs. pure air |
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Until a couple of minutes ago I'd have said that pure air is synonymous with clear air. But now, the more I think about it, the less sure I am! :?
Sorry for confusing you even more! |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#3 (permalink) Fri Oct 27, 2006 22:24 pm Pure air vs. Clear air |
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+ clean air
Sorry... :) :lol: _________________ It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#4 (permalink) Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:58 am Pure air vs. Clear air |
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2 cents from me :) clear air - visible, transparent clean air - suitable for breathing, not polluted pure air - clear air |
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SkiIucK I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 856
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#5 (permalink) Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:32 am Pure air vs. Clear air |
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Hi Tamara
Some rambling comments and thoughts from me: 8)
I've been asking myself whether saying "pure air" can/should be used at all since the word pure is so frequently used to indicate that something is made up of 100% of one element without any additional matter: pure gold.
But air doesn't ever consist of only one single element. I think I'd be more willing to say 'pure oxygen' than to say 'pure air'.
If you did say 'pure air' I would probably understand that you were trying to say that the air is not polluted. But, as is often the case, it would probably also depend on the whole context.
Amy _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8325 Location: USA
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#6 (permalink) Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:35 am Pure air vs. Clear air |
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Thank you, SkiIucK :)
And what about water, do you have a tuppence more for me? ;)
Hmm. I remember that once in Scotland, when we were visited Lock Lomond, my What (a) clear water! was corrected (with smiling) by 'Yes, pure water'. (Or… vise versa?… :) … my memory is like a sieve… :( ) _________________ It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#7 (permalink) Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:41 am Pure air vs. Clear air |
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Thanks, Amy.
Can I ask you a favour? :) BNC contains 12 sentences with pure air. Could you list (just list here their identifiers) those, in which use of the expression is 'not comfortable' to you? _________________ It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#8 (permalink) Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:03 am Pure air vs. Clear air |
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Hi Tamara,
I'll wade in here, if I may. It might help to turn these adjectives into abstract nouns: purity and clarity. Then you could tie these up with 'language'. You know how some people object to 'foreign' intrusions into their own language (mentioning no names) well they would talk about the purity of their language in the sense of unalloyed. Then there's clarity of language, a different kettle of fish, where you're talking about the clear way in which something is expressed.
Hope I've not muddied the waters with these comments!
A _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Present Simple |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 17284 Location: UK
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#9 (permalink) Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:11 am Pure air vs. Clear air |
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Hi Alan,
Thank you for drawing the analogy (I adore the 'language=water' metaphor, you know :) )
OK.
...Sometimes I feel I need to take the waters (...at a spa) :) _________________ It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#10 (permalink) Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:36 am Pure air vs. Clear air |
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Hi Tamara
I've had a look at the bnc results for "pure air" and nearly all of them use this expression to talk about air that is free of pollutants.
Amy _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8325 Location: USA
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Comparative Degree | As a matter of gliss |