Unique: A Thread for Ron.

[VladTepes]

u·nique
adj.

1. Being the only one of its kind: the unique existing example of Donne's handwriting.
2. Without an equal or equivalent; unparalleled.
3. a. Characteristic of a particular category, condition, or locality: a problem unique to coastal areas.
   b. Unusual; extraordinary: spoke with a unique accent.

And that's the way I see the word. Therefore the following constructions, all of which I have heard on TV in the last few days, really **** me off.

.... are seen as quite unique

.... is very unique

... has a high degree of uniqueness.

.... is unique to only a few places on the globe. (what the ???)


As I studied journalism, these sorts of things annoy me quite a lot.

I'm sure Ron will be able to furnish more examples.



Anyway further investigation into on line dictionaries brought the following to light:

u·niquely adv.



u·niqueness n.

Usage Note:
For many grammarians, unique is the paradigmatic absolute term, a shibboleth that distinguishes between those who understand that such a term cannot be modified by an adverb of degree or a comparative adverb and those who do not. These grammarians would say that a thing is either unique or not unique and that it is therefore incorrect to say that something is very unique or more unique than something else. Most of the Usage Panel supports this traditional view. Eighty percent disapprove of the sentence Her designs are quite unique in today's fashions. But as the language of advertising in particular attests, unique is widely used as a synonym for worthy of being considered in a class by itself, extraordinary and if so construed it may arguably be modified. In fact, unique appears as a modified adjective in the work of many reputable writers. A travel writer states that “Chicago is no less unique an American city than New York or San Francisco,” for example, and the critic Fredric Jameson writes “The great modern writers have all been defined by the invention or production of rather unique styles.” Although these examples of the qualification of unique are defensible, writers should be aware that such constructions are liable to incur the censure of some readers.

Personally those that misuse the word unique in such ways can, as far as I'm concerned, jam it up their fundamental orifice. And they incur my censure.

[4bee]

Personally those that misuse the word unique in such ways can, as far as I'm concerned, jam it up their fundamental orifice.

That is a unique proposal VT.

[stevo68]

What a unique experience reading this unique post

Regards

Stevo

[Redback]

A unique post, Uniquely unique to Vlad

[DiscoCam]

And I thought all they taught in journalism these days was how to read a teleprompter and chase shonky builder/repairman/etc down the street.

[Bytemrk]

Hey Vlad... Thank you ... I am not Unique.

I have sat there and listened to the same dribble and had very similar thoughts




....... I thought I was just getting old and grumpy

Mark

[Pedro_The_Swift]

....... I thought I was just getting old and grumpy

Mark

hmmm, another excuse I can use!!!

[one_iota]

hmmm, another excuse I can use!!!

an excuse that is not different enough to be unique

[edddo]

this is a relatively unique thread

[disconut]

Is "uniqu'e" plural for a pair of Unicorns?

Quite unique! Uh oh, I did it, didn't I. Bugger!

Trev.