研究 - 放下與接受 - 淺論英文寫作

[barrielee]

g兄您文章寫徥很好,不過在第一句發現了一個小問題,在我過去學習中不是這樣,所以找了些資料溫故知新,無意冒犯,請見諒

關於 unique的用法,加very是否正確?

除了以下面英文解釋用法,另有看到中文網站英語語法教學也提到沒有加very的用法
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The word unique is related to a whole class of words derived from the Latin word for one, (unus) for example: uniform, unilateral, and unicorn.

Soldiers tend to look alike when they are in uniform.
Among allied states, a unilateral action is one taken by one member or “side” only. (Latin latus = side)
A unicorn has one horn. (Latin cornus = horn of an animal)

The word unique has the meaning “one of a kind.” It is a useful word and the widespread misuse of it tends to dissipate its usefulness.

Listen to any talk show and you will hear people say that something or other is “very unique,” or “rather unique,” or “somewhat unique.”

Such usage corresponds to saying that a woman is “somewhat pregnant.”

With unique (as with pregnancy) there is no middle ground.

If something is unique, that’s it. To precede the word with an intensifier like “very” or a comparative like “less” or “more,” defeats the purpose.

That is not to say that one mustn’t ever use a word to modify unique.

One CAN say that a thing is:

nearly unique
really unique
perhaps unique
in some respects unique
but never ever “very unique.”

TIP: Preserve the unique usefulness of the word unique by thinking twice before putting a modifier in front of it.


http://www.dailywritingtips.com/less...mes-to-unique/