What is 'purdy'?

[Francois]

1. Cas' explanation is as fantastic as Mike's.
==> Although 'fantastic' is categorized into non-gradable adjective, one still can use this word as a posive degree in a sentence. Right?

Yes, it's fine. Both are fantastic. The Earth is as round as an orange. But 'very round' is not good, strictly speaking.

2-a. Cas' explanation is more fantastic than Mike's.
==> Thus, I assume non-gradable adjective is not allowed in a comparative sentence. But I had myself persuade in this condition where both Cas' and Mike's explanations are fantastic. I'd like to make them in comparison deliberately, Cas' is more fantastic while Mike's is less fantastic.

I suppose you can say that too. You can also say 'This project is more feasible than that one', or 'It would be more moral to bring that money to the police'. Turn of speech again, I think.
Not so clear-cut, huh?

FRC

[blacknomi]

(I am really laughing out loud here.)

How disappointed to read your ending sentence, "Not so clear-cut, huh?"

[blacknomi]

Originally Posted by Francois

Both are fantastic. The Earth is as round as an orange. But 'very round' is not good, strictly speaking.

hehe. We are in a pottery class. I use potter's clay to make a ball and so do you. But mine is rounder than yours. It makes sense in this situation, doesn't it? :D

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by Francois

I don't think you can say 'very fascinating' (not gradable). Sorry to nitpick

FRC

I think that there are degress of fascination. I see no problem with that.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by Francois

Yes, 'very perfect' is clearly wrong, likewise for the others. But 'quite fantastic' is fine for instance, etc. I would put 'fascinating' into that group.

How can I tell? Well, I just ask myself whether if the adjective divide the word in two eg. legal/illegal.
Some more: acceptable, legal, moral, feasible, mortal, original, debatable...
Yes, many work with 'very', but that's the meaning you put in red in your post: " the effect is sometimes to give emphasis rather than to express the degree of the characteristic expressed". Eg. I'm not sure it's very legal. This is a turn of speech; either it's legal, or it's not. Either it's an original painting, or it's not etc.
Some words are too strong to be gradable, like awesome, fantastic etc. How can something be slightly fantastic? Likewise, slightly fascinating sounds wrong.

FRC

I think you are being a bit quick to decide on absolutes.

There are few words that are completely absolute: unique is the classic. The phrase "more perfect" exists in the preamble to the US Constitution.
We use half dead. We say "not very original".

[blacknomi]

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

There are few words that are completely absolute: unique is the classic. The phrase "more perfect" exists in the preamble to the US Constitution.
We use half dead. We say "not very original".

I see. But in most occasion, "perfect" is complete absolute. I have another question, I found Patrick is perfect gentleman. A few days later, I also found Michael is perfect too. Which one should I choose to be my boyfriend? Finally I chose Richard. :wink:

My conclusion is
Richard is more perferct than Patrick and Michael.
Three gentlemen are just perfect. But Richard is the best of the three.

Which sentence sound good to your ear? Or could you suggest? ( I'm sorry for being nitpicking! :? )

:)

[Francois]

Originally Posted by Mike

I think you are being a bit quick to decide on absolutes.

There are few words that are completely absolute: unique is the classic. The phrase "more perfect" exists in the preamble to the US Constitution.
We use half dead. We say "not very original".

You can even say 'To make it even more unique, get a punk band to play at your wedding". I believe absolutes is a natural ground for such extensions, and they abound indeed (eg. 'half dead' or 'more perfect'). The limit between 'extension' and strict meaning is a gray area, but this debate is probably purely academic. I think there are a few uses who are still weird, eg. slightly legal or.... very fascinating -- though I admit 'half legal' or 'pretty fascinating' are ok. That's why I said I was not sure 'gradable' was the right term.

FRC

[MikeNewYork]

[quote="blacknomi"]

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

There are few words that are completely absolute: unique is the classic. The phrase "more perfect" exists in the preamble to the US Constitution.
We use half dead. We say "not very original".

[quote]I see. But in most occasion, "perfect" is complete absolute. I have another question, I found Patrick is perfect gentleman. A few days later, I also found Michael is perfect too. Which one should I choose to be my boyfriend? Finally I chose Richard. :wink:

My conclusion is
Richard is more perferct than Patrick and Michael.
Three gentlemen are just perfect. But Richard is the best of the three.

Which sentence sound good to your ear? Or could you suggest? ( I'm sorry for being nitpicking! :? )[quote]

Perfect has a number of meanings. They are not all absolutes. A perfect gentleman is one who conforms to a particular type or a standard. In that sense there can be more than one. It would be perfect to say, I dated three perfect gentlemen, but Richard was the most perfect for me. You could also say, the best of the three. :wink:

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by Francois

You can even say 'To make it even more unique, get a punk band to play at your wedding". I believe absolutes is a natural ground for such extensions, and they abound indeed (eg. 'half dead' or 'more perfect'). The limit between 'extension' and strict meaning is a gray area, but this debate is probably purely academic. I think there are a few uses who are still weird, eg. slightly legal or.... very fascinating -- though I admit 'half legal' or 'pretty fascinating' are ok. That's why I said I was not sure 'gradable' was the right term.

FRC

In that context, even "more unique" is probably OK. The one I heard is this.

If you find a unicorn walking down the streets of New York, that would be unique. If it spoke to you that would be more unique.

[Francois]

Usage rules. Out of mere curiosity, how does the 'more perfect' preamble run?

FRC