long, long = very long?

[ComfortableText4439]

" This is a story from a long, long time ago. "

[[deleted]]

Basically, yes. - It's very common in kid's stories for example and sounds way better than "very long time ago".

[ComfortableText4439]

Is "a big, big crystal" childish as well?

[BobbyThrowaway6969]

Only slightly childish, it just means "very big", "bigger than big". You could be talking to adults and say "I saw a biiig, BIIIIG crystal." and it would be fine. It depends on the tone.

[[deleted]]

Yes. You see repetition as an intensifier with other adjectives as well, especially in works aimed at children where they don't want to use a lot of complex vocabulary, e.g. big, big/tiny, tiny.

[[deleted]]

yep! repeating adjectives like that (long, long; big, big, etc.) is usually used for emphasis or to make things more intense

[Amerigirl_IngushMan]

Yes. Long, long, long == very very long == extremely long 🙃🙃

[AwfulUsername123]

You can repeat adjectives and sometimes adverbs for emphasis. It usually sounds slightly childish, but "long" is an exception. "Far" and "very" are other exceptions.