the most different

[navi tasan]

1-These substances are of the most different colors and forms.

What does that sentence really mean?
That no two of them are in any way similar?
Or that they cover the whole range of colors and forms?

Gratefully,
Navi,

 

[bhaisahab]

It's a poor sentence. Its meaning is not at all clear. Where did you find it?

 

[Champleon]

I'm not a Forum's teacher.
I would incline to think that the sentence means both: That no two of them are in any way similar, and that they cover
the whole range of colors and forms.

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you both very much.


This is one example:


http://books.google.com/books?id=cm...q="of the most different colours and"&f=false

But there are many similar ones:

https://www.google.com/search?tbo=p...=10#q="of+the+most+different+colours"&tbm=bks

The first one (by Goethe, but it is a translation) is probably even less clear.

I think the sentence does not really say what the writer wants it to say. I tend to think it is defective. I came across something like it and that is why I asked the question. It seemed very strange to me.

Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[MikeNewYork]

What are they and them?

 

[Raymott]

These substances are of the most different colors and forms.
I'm pretty sure that in the context of the first link this means "These substances are of very different and varying colors and forms". It's an assertion that they are not all the same. It doesn't literally mean "the most different". It's hyperbolic.
It's similar to, "I do hope you can come to our party. We have the most interesting guests."

 

[MikeNewYork]

Based on the links, "these substances" are probably different elements, crystals, and/or chemicals.

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you both very much.

I think you are both correct. Whatever the substances may be, Raymott's interpretation seems correct, as far as I can see. The expression cannot be taken literally.

Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[Tdol]

If they were the most different colours, wouldn't they be black and white?

 

[Champleon]

"That no two of them are in any way similar, and that they cover the whole range of colors and forms".
The pronouns in bold type are taken from the navi tasan's post where the susbstances are referred to with those pronouns.
Sorry for the delay.

 

[bhaisahab]

If they were the most different colours, wouldn't they be black and white?

Red and green are the opposite ends of the spectrum.

 

[Raymott]

Red and green are the opposite ends of the spectrum.

But are they more different than white and black? In fact, I thought that red and violet were at the opposite ends of the visible spectrum.
In any case, "the most different" is not to be taken literally here, as I think most of us have agreed by now.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Red and green are the opposite ends of the spectrum.

No, the colors of the spectrum are described by this mnemonic: Roy G Biv. Red-orange-yellow-green-blue-indigo-violet. Left of red is infrared; right of violet is ultraviolet. You may be referring to Opponent Color Theory of color vision. In that, the three sets of opponent colors are black and white, red and green, and blue and yellow.

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you both very much,

Interestingly, there seems to be a similarity between black and white. As far as I know, each of them is considered to be an absence of color in certain cultures. So in mourning ceremonies, in certain countries people wear black and in other countries they wear white. I don't know if there are other colors that are used in mourning ceremonies. I suppose there are cultures that do not have a dress code for mourning ceremonies...

Technically speaking, black is not a color, but the absence of color. White light is the combination of all visible rays of light... As far as I know... I studied this stuff a long time ago...

I tend to think of red and blue as opposites. But there seems to be no logical reason to think that way.

Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Yes, black is considered to be the lack of color, but white is considered to be the inclusion of all the colors of the visible spectrum.