1022: Adjectives as Submodifiers Sep 25, 2017

Affixes are a valuable and often necessary way to indicate syntax in a word, but depending upon context and convention, they aren't always obligatory. Suffixes such as '-ly' or '-y' that can indicate that a noun or an adjective become an adjective or an adverb respectively are often dropped off from certain words, especially in certain dialects. For instance, the word 'real' is an adjective more often than it is an adverb, but in the sentence "that's real funny" it acts as a submodifier. There is no reason that any word must necessarily be one part of speech for another, so while it may not be as formal for certain occasions or certain written pieces, it is understandable to native speakers.