diviant

[SoothingDave]

It's a serious pet peeve of mine. My kids look at me whenever anyone says it to see if I've flinched. I once refused to help someone write an article because they insisted on using "a very unique opportunity." I tried three times to get them to use another expression and finally told them to get someone else to write it.

It's sadly common, but wrong.

What about "more perfect?"

 

[bhaisahab]

What about "more perfect?"

:shock:

 

[BobSmith]

Or general consensus.

"Very unique" on its face makes no sense, but I suspect people mean "unique among this set/situation".

 

[Taka]

What about this?

He is very American/English.

 

[5jj]

He is very American/English.

That's another question. Please start a new thread for that, or this one will become very confused.

 

[Taka]

It's just, as Dave presented his question about 'more perfect', I've tried another one.

Well, but my last question isn't totally unrelated to the original question here.

I just wondered what native speakers would say about this below, if they thought that 'He is very American/British' worked.

He is very American/British and very unique.

 

[BobK]

There's no trick; 'American/British' is a metaphor here, meaning 'not only American/British in the literal sense, but also with many of the characteristics of the stereotype'. In the phrase 'very American/British' the very applies to the metaphorical sense and not to the boolean (yes|no) literal one. 'Unique' is, in my book, boolean.

b

 

[BobSmith]

It's just, as Dave presented his question about 'more perfect', I've tried another one.

Except, Dave isn't really asking, as he (probably) already knows the answer.

 

[Taka]

There's no trick; 'American/British' is a metaphor here

H'm...the metaphorical sense of 'American/British' is widely accepted, but the metaphorical usage of 'unique' is not quite so. Such an enigma.

Dave isn't really asking, as he (probably) already knows the answer.

Me neither, and I knew the answer as well.;-)

 

[SoothingDave]

Except, Dave isn't really asking, as he (probably) already knows the answer.

That's right. It's perfectly fine. In fact it's more perfectly fine.

Unless you hate the Constitution. ;-)

 

[bhaisahab]

That's right. It's perfectly fine. In fact it's more perfectly fine.

Unless you hate the Constitution. ;-)

We don't have a constitution.;-)

 

[Taka]

Allow me to pick up this old thread.

How does 'He is really unique' sound? Does 'really unique' sound as awkward as 'very unique'?

 

[BobK]

No it doesn't. 'Really' allows for the 'proper' meaning of 'unique' - which isn't gradable. It is saying 'This thing is unique, and I really mean it - it has features not shared by anything else'.

b

 

[Chicken Sandwich]

This reminds me of a common mistake made in Dutch. Some people want to emphasise that something can be "truly only" and thus they say "onliest" (= enigste). However, this in correct. "Only" is not gradable. I've never seen "onliest" in English, but apparently, a not so reliable source of the English language does have an entry fot this word:

intensive form of "only". used to indicate that someone or something that is truly the "only", or "only" in a special way.

Jesus is the onliest one who can save you.

Urban Dictionary: onliest

 

[BobK]

Yes, I've met it - but in a joking - self-aware - context ('I know it's not a proper word, but I'm using it anyway and you know what I mean').

b