Fine-Tuning 25, A Somewhat Unique Post

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. See Usage Notes at absolute, equal, infinite.

I've long considered the crowd that insists many words can't be modified (there are some that really can't) to demonstrate absurd logic through their rigid view of it.

Joe makes a good point.

Not allowing a word like "probable" to be modified is an absurd simplification of the word and is logically flawed.

Something "probable" can be at 51%. 51% and 99% are very different.

probable
1 : supported by evidence strong enough to establish presumption but not proof <a probable hypothesis>
2 : establishing a probability <probable evidence>
3 : likely to be or become true or real <probable events>

Frank, you are using a limited definition. And you are wrong.

MW wrote:

probable
1 : supported by evidence strong enough to establish presumption but not proof <a probable hypothesis>
2 : establishing a probability <probable evidence>
3 : likely to be or become true or real <probable events>

You are using definition number 1.

Definition number 3 can be modified.

Some things are more likely than others, and probability is not binary in nature.

Craven, if a thing is "likely to be or become true or real" it is probable.

If event "a" is more likely than event "b" -- and both are at least 50% likely, then both are probable.

One is not more probable than the other -- although one may be more likely than the other.

Although everyone uses "more probable" (I know I occasionally do) -- the fact is in a strict sense, that useage is incorrect.

A thing "a" may be more likely than a thing "b" -- but once we have established that "a" and "b" are probable -- it really is erroneous to consider one to be more probable.

It's like someone mentioned -- pregnant. A woman is either pregnant or not pregnant -- and how long into term she is does not make her more pregnant or less pregnant.

The correct term should be that it is more likely.

Sorry, but you are the one who is wrong here.

No, Craven, once again you are simply wrong.

But if it makes you feel any better about your sad lot in life, stick with it.