FEEL STRONG(LY)

[Benjamin Lukoff]

On Sat, 12 Feb 2000 P2052 at AOL.COM wrote:

> Does anyone know what current usage dictates about, "feel strong(ly)."  I
> often hear people awkwardly attaching the -ly to this phrase when they
> realize that ,"feel strong," describes physical power, rather than "strong
> feelings."  However, according to rules I've internalized about the nature of
> linking verbs, in the phrase, "feel strongly," the verb, "feel," is still
> being used as a linking verb; thus, it should be followed by the adjective
> "strong," rather than the adverb, "strongly," which accompanies action verbs.

To me, "feel" in "I feel strongly that" is not a linking verb.  Therefore,
the use of the adverb is correct.  "Strongly" is modifying the nature of
the verb "feel".  *How/to what degree* do you feel about/that X?
*Strongly*.  I think this is a different use of "feel" from "I feel
happy", in which case it is  in fact a linking verb