Are clarity and clarification synonymous?

[DaveC426913]

"This comment is unclear; can you provide some clarification?"
"This comment is unclear; can you provide some clarity?"

 

[fresh_42]

Clarity describes a property of something; clarification describes an action by someone. I think, providing clarity is impossible; only establishing, creating, or producing clarity.

We have Klarheit (clarity) and Klärung (clearing) in German, but clearing means something else in English, so it has to be replaced by clarification. Klarifizierung wouldn't be a German word. We use the English term clearing for the process of clearing in economics.

 

[DaveC426913]

Clarity describes a property of something; clarification describes an action by someone. I think, providing clarity is impossible; only establishing, creating, or producing clarity.

Isn't 'providing' an easy subsitute for 'establishing', 'creating', or 'producing'?

 

[fresh_42]

Isn't 'providing' an easy subsitute for 'establishing', 'creating', or 'producing'?

Well, providing is a delivery, and you cannot deliver a property in my opinion. But this is nitpicking on a high level.

 

[DaveC426913]

Well, providing is a delivery, and you cannot deliver a property in my opinion.

No, I get it. But, likewise, can you establish, create, or produce a property?

But this is nitpicking on a high level.

Yes but this is why I asked the question.


(ChatGPT notes the same distinction as you. Clarification is an action, whereas clarity is a state. It also notes they are occsionally interchanged idiomatically.)

 

[fresh_42]

But, likewise, can you establish, create, or produce a property?

I think you can "make" something clear that wasn't before. But how do you deliver clarity? It cannot be seen independently of the object/subject that is clear or isn't. Providing clarity sounds like providing redness, e.g..

 

[difalcojr]

"This comment is unclear; can you provide some clarification?"
"This comment is unclear; can you provide some clarity?"

The first sentence is correct English, the second not. Sure sounds the same, though, easily misused, probably.

We have Klarheit (clarity) and Klärung (clearing) in German, but clearing means something else in English, so it has to be replaced by clarification. Klarifizierung wouldn't be a German word. We use the English term clearing for the process of clearing in economics.

I like how the German word for clarification means clearing, as in clearing up the confusion which led to the lack of clarity. (This problem does not have clarity; it needs clarification.)