Unique pedantry

[stitch]

extremely unique

ooooh ... the pedant in me is having a hard time biting his tongue ...

 

[s.mundi]

ooooh ... the pedant in me is having a hard time biting his tongue ...

Please share your opinion..

 

[stitch]

Please share your opinion..

Well, strictly speaking, unique can’t be modified. However I will concede that I was perhaps overly picky, and when are we ever strict around here?

 

[Stephen Howard]

Well, strictly speaking, unique can’t be modified. However I will concede that I was perhaps overly picky, and when are we ever strict around here?

Uniquely picky?

 

[Pete Thomas]

It's true, traditionally, unique cannot be modified. Like the word virgin, there are not degrees, either you are or you aren't. But years of abuse of the word has actually made terms like almost unique part of the language as she is spoke, so we have to accept that.

In this case though, although modesty would make me argue I am not a great player, merely a playe. It is not unique for a player to conceive of a saxophone. Take Peter Ponzol for example.

 

[s.mundi]

Well, strictly speaking, unique can’t be modified. However I will concede that I was perhaps overly picky, and when are we ever strict around here?

Thank you.

 

[Stephen Howard]

It's true, traditionally, unique cannot be modified. Like the word virgin, there are not degrees, either you are or you aren't. But years of abuse of the word has actually made terms like almost unique part of the language as she is spoke, so we have to accept that.

In this case though, although modesty would make me argue I am not a great player, merely a playe. It is not unique for a player to conceive of a saxophone. Take Peter Ponzol for example.

I think we're all agreed you're unique, Pete....

 

[Pete Thomas]

I think we're all agreed you're unique, Pete....

Huh, not extremely unique then?

 

[saxyjt]

Huh, not extremely unique then?

To evaluate uniqueness, we need to know how many copies of you were made. Do you know?

 

[rhysonsax]

Huh, not extremely unique then?

Uniquely extreme ?

Rhys

 

[Ivan]

Well, strictly speaking, unique can’t be modified. However I will concede that I was perhaps overly picky, and when are we ever strict around here?

Frankly it's open season on shabby grammar

If you see it, shoot it

 

[BigMartin]

Well, strictly speaking, unique can’t be modified.

What about "almost unique"?

 

[Targa]

What about "almost unique"?

No, not even that. It would be 'extremely rare' or similar.
Maybe 'possibly unique' might be allowed but then 'possibly' isn't really a modifier.

 

[Ivan]

Broadly unique?

 

[nigeld]

Unique among one-legged Siberian saxophone players.

 

[InWalkedBud]

Unique can be modified adverbially (e.g. surprisingly unique, deceptively unique), but it can't be intensified (e.g. very unique, utterly unique).

 

[Tenor Viol]

In general, as noted earlier, some words are rather binary in nature and unique is one of them (as is virgin): something either is unique, or it isn’t, there are no degrees of uniqueness.
I know that in everyday usage, people do modify it e.g. “That was rather unique...” but it gets my inner grammar pedant mode twitching...
Don’t get me started on the misuse of ‘disinterested’ to mean ‘uninterested’ and vice versa...

 

[Pete Thomas]

Maybe I will use Unique as a model name for the Cafe saxophone limited edition of 29.

So there will only be 29 unique saxophones

 

[Targa]

Don’t get me started on the misuse of ‘disinterested’ to mean ‘uninterested’ and vice versa...

I don't like and dislike to do that.

 

[QWales]

it can't be intensified (e.g. very unique, utterly unique).

How about totally unique?