Is "the absolutely best" incorrect?

[Dominik92]

Hello all.

I don´t remember the context but in Ireland I was told by native speaker that the following "sentence" is not correct:


....the absolute[STRIKE]ly[/STRIKE] best.....


However two English teachers didn´t find almost the similar sentence wrong:



It was incredibly good performance.



Why do you think the first "sentence" is not correct? Is it possible that it just didn´t sound good in the given context I was speaking about?



Thank you.

 

[GoesStation]

The difference is that in the first phrase, an adverb modifies a superlative. You can modify a plain adjective as in an incredibly good performance, but superlatives are "pre-modified": best means "most good" (though we don't use that pair of words) and can't normally be further modified.

 

[Tarheel]

While it is certainly true that there is nothing better than best, you will see phrases like "absolutely the best". Or "unquestionably the best".

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

"The absolutely best" is not a sentence.

"The absolute best" is also not a sentence.

We usually don't say "the absolutely best."

Instead, we usually say "the absolute best" or "absolutely the best." They both mean "the best" but are more emphatic.