A Very Vexing Problem
You know what gets me? When I hear (or read) people saying "very unique". If you're a normal human being, your probably asking right now, "so what?".
Well, you see, "very unique" is incorrect English. "Unique" means one-of-a-kind. "Very" means more than usual. Nothing can be more "one-of-a-kind" than anything else. It's already one of a kind! Is it so unique that it's only 8/10ths-of-a-kind?
I've been noticing a lot of usage of "very unique" recently. Here it is in the NYTimes today (admittedly, in a quote). Meanwhile whenever I see behind-the-scenes clips discussing Avatar:The Last Airbender, the creater, Michael Dante DiMartino, cannot stop saying "very unique". He used the expression some three times in thirty seconds discussing really cool new character Toph. "Toph is very unique because she's a blind earthbender ... Unlike other earthbenders, she uses a very unique martial arts style called Praying Mantis Style." And so on.
The thing is, should I care? Does it really matter that it's not proper, Formal English? Most of these rules (me vs. I; no split infinitives) are just silly shibboleths. "Unique" is used these days to mean not just "one-of-a-kind" but also "very unusual". When people say "very unique" they just mean "very, very unusual."
So I guess I should probably get over it.
But it still pops out at me.
Well, you see, "very unique" is incorrect English. "Unique" means one-of-a-kind. "Very" means more than usual. Nothing can be more "one-of-a-kind" than anything else. It's already one of a kind! Is it so unique that it's only 8/10ths-of-a-kind?
I've been noticing a lot of usage of "very unique" recently. Here it is in the NYTimes today (admittedly, in a quote). Meanwhile whenever I see behind-the-scenes clips discussing Avatar:The Last Airbender, the creater, Michael Dante DiMartino, cannot stop saying "very unique". He used the expression some three times in thirty seconds discussing really cool new character Toph. "Toph is very unique because she's a blind earthbender ... Unlike other earthbenders, she uses a very unique martial arts style called Praying Mantis Style." And so on.
The thing is, should I care? Does it really matter that it's not proper, Formal English? Most of these rules (me vs. I; no split infinitives) are just silly shibboleths. "Unique" is used these days to mean not just "one-of-a-kind" but also "very unusual". When people say "very unique" they just mean "very, very unusual."
So I guess I should probably get over it.
But it still pops out at me.