To unique or not to unique
To unique or not to unique
(OP)
u-nique (yoo nek') adj- 1 alone of its kind; different from all others: 2 odd; rare; unusual; singular:
And yet how many of you as I have before I was sensitized to the true definition of unique, misused it as in one or more of the following examples?:
very unique
somewhat unique
kinda unique
sorta unique
This ought to be interesting to see how some people are going to try and squirm out of the true meaning of this unique word. Therefore I am officially making a discliamer here and now and forwith redundantly to boot that I ain't buing it. That is unless you can somehow really convince me that unique is not.
And yet how many of you as I have before I was sensitized to the true definition of unique, misused it as in one or more of the following examples?:
very unique
somewhat unique
kinda unique
sorta unique
This ought to be interesting to see how some people are going to try and squirm out of the true meaning of this unique word. Therefore I am officially making a discliamer here and now and forwith redundantly to boot that I ain't buing it. That is unless you can somehow really convince me that unique is not.
Jesus is THE life,
Leonard





RE: To unique or not to unique
very odd
somewhat odd
kinda odd
sorta odd
TTFN
RE: To unique or not to unique
Not in my book. It is either odd or it is not. It is either unique or it is not. Modifiers for these words are superfluous or diminishing. These words stand on their own merit. Odd as used in defining unique fits best the first of six definitions given in my dictionary for odd the first being: unusual or strange; peculiar.
Your fingerprints are not kinda unique or very unique they are simply unique but only part of what makes you unique as an individual. You are singular among all inividuals. not only that, but you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your fingerpringts might also be odd as compared to most fingerprints but they are still unique or one of a kind and different from all others to be redundant.
As a friend of mine likes to facitiously say, "why use one word when many will do?"
Jesus is THE life,
Leonard
RE: To unique or not to unique
Another is the phrase "Virtually Spotless" Something is either spotless or not. there is no in between.
nick
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Here in the real world however, I completely agree. It is either spotless or it's not.
Virtual != Almost
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Grammar in engineering has ben a subject of some debate recently, as a colleague has taken to correcting all of the errors in our grammar, having learnt english as a foreign language....
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http://www.EsoxRepublic.com
RE: To unique or not to unique
RE: To unique or not to unique
Good Luck
johnwm
RE: To unique or not to unique
How do you catch a unique bunny rabbit?
Unique up on him!
How you you catch a tame bunny rabbit?
the tame way!
RE: To unique or not to unique
You got me there.
Is this a bit similar to 'slightly pregnant'?
I must admit that if this is possible then it is also possible to be slightly unigue.
Jesus is THE life,
Leonard
RE: To unique or not to unique
Part of our problem as a society is that we don't have room for grey. A great example is "you are either with us or against us". BS !!! I think there is room for modifiers to unique.
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Since when are "odd" and "strange" not qualifiable??
The argument about whether or not "unique" can be qualfied boils down to whether one accepts definition #2 or only the stricter #1.
Hg
RE: To unique or not to unique
The intensifying adverbs, almost, nearly or quite are less criticised when used with unique on the grounds that no sense of degree is involved.
I think HgTX is right when saying that all depends on the meanings attached to unique, as mentioned by metman:
1. Unparalleled, being without an equal or equivalent.
2. (Informal) outstanding, remarkable.
3. The only one of its kind; sole.
4. Unusual.
RE: To unique or not to unique
Now being pregnant is an all or nothing subject.
But a rare species that is observed in the wild - well, it could be a unique event, but not the only event of its kind. So a range of unique-ness, whether quality or quantity, is possible with some things, while not with others.
RE: To unique or not to unique
I'm kind of in the "either it or it isn't" camp, but I could see how something one-of-a-kind that isn't like any other kinds either could be more unique than something one-of-a-kind that has some close cousins--there is less threat to its uniqueness. An original oil painting is unique. An original oil painting executed with the artist's own hair could be considered rather more unique, because more characteristics would need to be duplicated to make it non-unique, or because one might lump together all ordinary oil paintings and not consider uniqueness within that class.
Hg
RE: To unique or not to unique
RE: To unique or not to unique
RE: To unique or not to unique
RE: To unique or not to unique
We already have a lot of words for things that are "almost unique," such as "rare," "unusual," and so forth. There's nothing wrong with a word having a very specific meaning. We don't have to apply political correctness to it; to do so allows the application of fuzzy definitions to every word we use, and then no one will have any idea what anyone else is talking about.
No standards I've ever read on English usage ever condoned modifying the word "unique." Why do we need to now? Why is the world becoming so afraid of standards? Without standards, against what will we measure anything?
RE: To unique or not to unique
A young engineer was setting out some levels and he painstakingly adjusted the chainman's mark up and down for several minutes until satisfied. " Near enough" he called to the cahinman to indicate that he could move on to the next point.
"Hold on" said his site supervisor. "Is it right or is it wrong? On my site there's no such thing as "Near enough"". The youngster was unnerved and sent his chainman back to verify once more, and then diffidently offered it to the senior man for his inspection. "I believe its right , sir" said he.
The supervisor looked through the level and gave one brief comment before going back to his warm office: "Yup; near enough".
John.
If I haven't left it better than I found it, I haven't tried hard enough.
RE: To unique or not to unique
But we use them colloquially without thinking about them and everyone knows what we mean. What offends me is to see them in the written word, or in a formal environment such as a presentation.
John
RE: To unique or not to unique
The fact that "almost" is not quantifiable is a different issue.
Hg
RE: To unique or not to unique
RE: To unique or not to unique
Sanford also says there is no such thing as a point-in-time as politicians are want to proclaim since time is a continuum. Drat his hide. Now every time I am tempted to use that expression, I find myself struggling to find an alternate phrase.
Bring back the hp 28S,
Leonard
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Hg
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What shocks me more than different shades of unique is:
ideal, more ideal, most ideal
optimum, more optimum, most optimum
It's such an inflation...
RE: To unique or not to unique
RE: To unique or not to unique
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: To unique or not to unique
Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
RE: To unique or not to unique
RE: To unique or not to unique
Hg
RE: To unique or not to unique
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Remember - you are unique.... just like everyone else.
and
Two things that are not the same are different.
(this is sone of the Best engineering advice you can give a new guy)
Keep the wheels on the ground
Bob
showshine@aol.com