2021-03-07 ศัพท์ น่าสับสน ชุด V – very & unique
2021-03-07
ศัพท์ น่าสับสน ชุด V – very & unique
แนะนำการใช้ ตามที่ส่วนใหญ่ใช้ แต่ละท้องถิ่น
ความหมาย อาจผันแปร ตาม ตำแหน่ง/หน้าที่ ในประโยค
Dictionary.com
ออกเสียง very = ‘VER-ee’
ออกเสียง unique = ‘yoo-NEEK’
Dictionary.com
GRAMMAR NOTES FOR VERY
Past participles that have become established as adjectives can,
like most English adjectives, be modified by the adverb very:
a very driven person;
We were very concerned for your safety.
Very does not modify past participles that are clearly verbal;
for example, The lid was very sealed is not an idiomatic construction,
while The lid was very tightly sealed is.
Sometimes confusion arises over whether a given past participle is adjectival and thus able to be modified by very without an intervening adverb.
However, there is rarely any objection to the use of this intervening adverb,
no matter how the past participle is functioning.
Such use often occurs in edited writing:
We were very much relieved to find the children asleep.
They were very greatly excited by the news. I feel very badly cheated.
Dictionary.com
USAGE NOTE FOR UNIQUE
Many authors of usage guides, editors, teachers, and others
feel strongly that such “absolute” words as complete, equal, perfect,
and especially unique cannot be compared because of their “meaning”:
a word that denotes an absolute condition
cannot be described as denoting more or less than that absolute condition.
However, all such words have undergone semantic development
and are used in a number of senses,
some of which can be compared by words like
more, very, most, absolutely, somewhat, and totally and some of which cannot.
The earliest meanings of unique when it entered English around the beginning of the 17th century were “single, sole” and “having no equal.”
By the mid-19th century uniqe had developed
a wider meaning, “not typical, unusual,”
and it is in this wider sense that it is compared:
The foliage on the late-blooming plants is more unique than that on the earlier varieties.
The comparison of so-called absolutes in senses that are not absolute
is standard in all varieties of speech and writing.
Dictionary.com
Insincere compliments and what to say instead
A better word fot Unique
This final word, unique, has long been the source of controversy.
The word unique comes from Latin by way of French.
It literally means “existing as the only one or sole example.”
In other words, unique is a so-called “absolute” word, like perfect.
Some argue that this means it shouldn’t ever be modified,
as in “that is very unique.”
But our problem with unique isn’t this issue.
Because the word unique is used so frequently,
the sense that it describes something singular or irreplaceable has been lost.
That’s why we prefer these alternatives:
- extraordinary: This word communicates that something stands out from the crowd. Your work is truly extraordinary.
- incomparable: Typically, this word is used for things that are superlative, especially when it comes to performance or beauty. The soprano’s voice is incomparable.
- peerless: This one applies to people who are incomparable. My aunt has peerless fashion sense.
Try to add these words to your compliment grab bag.
You’ll be surprised how much folks appreciate praise that isn’t just “good job.”
While we can offer suggestions about better words to use,
our best piece of advice is to use as many details as possible.
Let the person you are complimenting
know that you notice the specific work
they put into what you are praising.
Say what part of the story you liked best,
mention that you noticed their effort to work late every night,
or describe how a particular moment made you feel.
And throw in a few remarkables and a delightful,
and you’re well on your way to creating top-notch compliments
for the superlative people in your lives.
Dictionary.com
How to replace the word “very” in your writing
Four little letters: v-e-r-y.
While very is indeed a very useful word, when overused,
it can make writing sound very boring.
Plus, if we write this sentence another way,
it can sound completely different:
While very is indeed an invaluable word, when overused,
it can make writing sound uninteresting and mundane.
See the difference?
When to use VERY
Very has its purpose as an adverb that modifies adjectives:
it gives them intensity.
For writers who are just starting out, like young students
or those just learning English,
it’s a useful tool that eases them into modifiers.
However, more advanced writers can do away with it
and use more precise techniques.
How to practice using other words.
Step 1: synonyms
A good place to start is to replace very with a different synonym.
Modifiers are important!
If you’re tired of using very,
there are plenty of synonyms to use instead that will be more descriptive.
For example, take this sentence:
It’s very important that you take your lunch to school.
At seven in the morning rushing out the door, any child will whip right past their lunchbox.
However, just switching out very makes the sentence sound more immediate: It’s exceedingly important that you take your lunch to school.
Choosing the correct word for the job might require some thought.
In the previous example,
very sounds neutral while
exceedingly sounds more hurried.
The problem with the word very is that
it can be used to describe a lot of things
and can have a lot of different tones behind it:
He was very smart. They were very mad. She fought very hard.
Words like extraordinarily, exceptionally, or remarkably
make your adjective sound important and impressive.
However, words like awfully, seriously, or terribly
make the tone more somber.
Saying,
“This chocolate cake is uncommonly good”
will communicate that the dessert is both very good and unusually good.
Describing a doctor as “eminently qualified”
underscores the point in a way that “very qualified” does not.
Here are a few more alternatives to consider:
deeply, profoundly, notably, truly, and surpassingly.
Step 2: sentence structure
If you think you’re ready to ditch very all together,
it’s time to talk about structuring your sentence
so that you don’t need it to begin with.
Not using very is a matter of specificity.
The art gallery was very full that night,
is a sentence that has potential to be interesting
but leaves the reader unsatisfied.
Introduce some imagery and you’ll instantly
make the sentence more interesting,
as in The art gallery was so crammed that night
you couldn’t move without touching someone else!
What about this example?
She was very tired last night.
A more specific sentence can appeal to several senses.
How did she look? What did she say? Where was she?
After practice, she collapsed on the couch with a sigh and fell asleep instantly.
Step 3: vocabulary expansion
Another way to be more specific in your writing
is to expand your vocabulary.
Often, a very followed by an adjective can be replaced with a single word.
The neighbor across the street isn’t “very pretty,” they’re lovely.
When you asked for the manager at the restaurant,
you weren’t “very angry” but instead irate.
That candy isn’t “very sweet,” it’s toothsome.
If you’re not sure what word to use, it’s OK to look at a thesaurus
(we’re here to help!) or peek at what words other writers you read use.
The final tip is to edit, edit, and edit again.
Asking a friend to look over your work will give a fresh set of eyes,
but you can always edit yourself.
Pro tip:
read your work out loud
as that will really help you hear
if you’re using a certain word very often.
Collins English Dictionary
USAGE FOR UNIQUE
Unique is normally taken to describe an absolute state,
i.e. one that cannot be qualified.
Thus something is either unique or not unique;
it cannot be rather unique or very unique.
However, unique is sometimes used informally to mean very remarkable
or unusual
and this makes it possible to use comparatives or intensifiers with it,
although many people object to this use
USAGE FOR VERY
In strict usage adverbs of degree
such as very, too, quite, really, and extremely
are used only to qualify adjectives:
he is very happy; she is too sad.
By this rule, these words should not be used to qualify past participles
that follow the verb to be,
since they would then be technically qualifying verbs.
With the exception of certain participles, such as tired or disappointed,
that have come to be regarded as adjectives,
all other past participles are qualified by adverbs
such as much, greatly, seriously, or excessively:
he has been much (not very) inconvenienced;
she has been excessively (not too) criticized
American Heritage Dictionary
very
Usage Note:
In general usage very is not used alone to modify a past participle.
Thus, we may say of a book that it has been very much praised or very much criticized
(where very modifies the adverb much), but not that it has been very praised or very criticized.
However, many past participle forms do double duty as adjectives,
in which case modification by very or by analogous adverbs such as quite is acceptable,
as in a very celebrated singer or a performance that was quite polished.
In some cases there is disagreement as to
whether a particular participle can be used properly as an adjective.
In the past, critics have objected to the use of very by itself with delighted, interested, annoyed, pleased, disappointed, and irritated.
All of these words are now well established as adjectives,
however, as indicated by the fact that they are used attributively,
that is, in juxtaposition to a noun they modify, as in a delighted audience,
a pleased look, a disappointed young man.
But the situation is not always clear.
Some speakers accept phrases such as very appreciated, very astonished, or very heartened,
while others prefer alternatives using very much.
Some participles can be treated as adjectives in one sense but not another,
as in a very inflated reputation but not a very inflated tire.
As a result, there is no sure way to tell which participles can be modified by a bare very.
When in doubt, using very much is generally correct.
Usage Note:
In general usage very is not used alone to modify a past participle.
Thus, we may say of a book that it has been very much praised or very much criticized
(where very modifies the adverb much), but not that it has been very praised or very criticized.
However, many past participle forms do double duty as adjectives,
in which case modification by very or by analogous adverbs such as quite is acceptable,
as in a very celebrated singer or a performance that was quite polished.
In some cases there is disagreement as to
whether a particular participle can be used properly as an adjective.
In the past, critics have objected to the use of very by itself with delighted, interested, annoyed, pleased, disappointed, and irritated.
All of these words are now well established as adjectives,
however, as indicated by the fact that they are used attributively,
that is, in juxtaposition to a noun they modify,
as in a delighted audience, a pleased look, a disappointed young man.
But the situation is not always clear.
Some speakers accept phrases such as very appreciated, very astonished, or very heartened,
while others prefer alternatives using very much.
Some participles can be treated as adjectives in one sense but not another,
as in a very inflated reputation but not a very inflated tire.
As a result, there is no sure way to tell which participles can be modified by a bare very.
When in doubt, using very much is generally correct.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Choose the Right Synonym for very
Adjective
SAME, SELFSAME, VERY, IDENTICAL, EQUIVALENT, EQUAL
mean not different or not differing from one another.
SAME may imply and SELFSAME always implies that the things under consideration are one thing and not two or more things.
took the same route derived from the selfsame source
VERY, like SELFSAME, may imply identity, or, like SAME may imply likeness in kind.
the very point I was trying to make
IDENTICAL may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details. identical results
EQUIVALENT implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance. two houses equivalent in market value
EQUAL implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.
equal shares in the business
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Usage Notes
The problems with “very”
Or, we should say, other people’s problem with it
Some words seem to lead charmed lives,
able to take on new meanings and senses whenever they feel like it, without attracting the least bit of opprobrium.
Run, for instance, has racked up dozens of meanings, and no language critic has ever compared it to literally.
Whenever run adds a new meaning everyone more or less accepts it ("Run, you crazy word, don't ever change ... unless you feel like it, and then you go right ahead and mean whatever you feel like meaning").
Other words just can't catch a break, despite their best attempts to lead an existence that is quiet and productive, and continually find themselves objected to in one way or another.
An unlikely specimen in this category is the word very.
What do people find wrong with very, you ask? So, so much.
One way that very can stab the unsuspecting writer in the face is
when it is used with an unseemly proximity to a past participle
that has not yet achieved sufficiently adjectival status.
Don't pretend you don't know what we mean;
you know exactly what we mean ... oh, you don't know what we mean?
In the 19th century some usage writers decided that it was fine to use the adverb very to modify adjectives, but it was decidedly not fine to use it to modify the past participles of verbs.
"I'm very warm" would be acceptable,
while "I'm very warmed" would not be.
One problem with this rule is that the past participles of many verbs eventually pass their citizenship tests and become adjectives.
So "the room is very hot" is an acceptable use of very,
and "the discussion is very heated" is as well.
You should be able to trust your ear
when deciding whether very is right for your past participle.
And if you have not yet had your fill of the minutiae of this matter
we've written about it more extensively here.
In modern peevery the more common complaint about very
is not grammatical in nature; it simply is that it is overused.
Innumerable writing guides exhort their readers to avoid this word, suggesting choosing furious rather than very angry.
It should be noted that this is advice, and is not a rule.
And as is so often the case when dispensing advice,
the suggestions are made more convincing
You may use very before a past participle,
unless it sounds bad, in which case you should not use it.
You may use very as an intensifier before adjectives
such as angry, unless you use it too much,
in which case you should use it less.
And in the matter of rhetorical proclivities
you should use very whenever you feel like it.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Words at Play
Is it wrong to say “VEY UNIQUE”?
The unusual case of Unique
Adjectives make up about 20% of English words.
Some are modified frequently:
very heavy, extremely tall, mostly sunny, seriously flawed.
But a substantial majority are rarely modified,
not because of any grammatical rule,
but simply because their meanings are so technical or specific
that they don’t need to be: provable, midcourse, umbilical, ultraviolet.
These words have narrow applications
and often name a quality that does not exist in degrees.
They are rarely used in the comparative or superlative,
but this is a consequence of logic, not of grammar.
'Unique' is often cited as a word that should never be modified,
as its original meanings were "being the only one" and "unequaled."
But 'unique' has another meaning, "unusual,"
and it's common to modify the word when it's used this way.
Needless to say, people confuse logic and grammar.
Grammar is not logical.
Nevertheless, some grammarians insist that certain adjectives,
usually called “absolute adjectives,” can never be modified.
The grammarian Joseph Wright, for example, in his A Philosophical Grammar of the English Language from 1838 (and like others before and since),
gave a list of adjectives “which admit of no variation of state”
—in other words, that cannot be modified.
His list includes words like square, dead, entire, false, and obvious.
And yet, evidence of actual usage shows that
almost square, nearly dead, whole entire, mostly false, and plainly obvious
are all commonly used and standard. Which would make him very angry.
Another word in his list is excellent,
and it’s true that this is a word that is seldom seen in the comparative,
though the superlative most excellent is common.
Arthur Conan Doyle modified excellent in a way that stands out to modern ears twice in the Sherlock Holmes stories—both times in words spoken by the Great Detective himself:
Very excellent is a good example of a plausible
but uncommon way to modify an adjective.
It might not be a very necessary phrase, but that’s not the point:
even Sherlock Holmes doesn’t apply logic to grammar.
It’s a good thing that Philosophical is in the title of Wright’s book,
since his list is more about ideals than linguistic reality. It’s a wish list.
The ideal that these list makers wish to uphold has to do with the purest interpretation of the definition of a word.
According to this idealistic interpretation, a square must have four right angles,
or it is simply not a square; false must mean only and exactly “not true.”
We know that neither word is always used in its absolute sense,
however, since angles might be “nearly square”
or an answer to a question might be “mostly false.”
Life is not made up of absolutes,
and language bends accordingly to accommodate. It does not break.
Unique is often cited as a word that should never be modified,
and it presents a special case because of the evolution of its meanings.
It comes from the Latin word unus (“one”),
and its original meanings in English were “being the only one” or “sole”
and “having no like or equal” or “unequaled.”
These meanings are about as absolute as they can be, and are seldom modified. However, words that are in widespread use
have a tendency to take on extended meanings,
and unique also came to mean something that was unusual or rare,
as in “a unique opportunity” or “a unique feature.”
The fact is, the original (and most absolute)
meaning of unique is the word’s least commonly used meaning today
(meaning “sole” or “only,” as in “the unique copy of my manuscript”).
But modifying unique when it means “unusual” is common:
Our evidence shows that very unique is much more frequently used in spoken English than in professionally edited writing,
which means that it is understood to be more informal and should be used with care.
Though there is no strict rule of grammar that prevents modifying these adjectives,
we must remember to be very careful.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Usage notes
Can you say “very pleased’?
Our answer may or may not please you.
Some of us make our way through life blithely
unconcerned about matters of grammar and usage,
reasoning that if people manage to understand what we say
then we must be covering all (or most) of the necessary bases.
And then some of us scrupulously observe every tenet of usage
and grammatical prescription that we can,
reasoning that if we all just applied ourselves to the matter
and observed the correct rules then all would be well with the world.
Then we come across an issue such as whether or not
you should use the word very before the word pleased
and you begin to realize how futile is the expectation
that we will ever all agree on what constitutes correct language use.
Most people think that saying "very pleased"
—in direct violation of 19th-century grammarian George Marsh's explicit instructions
—is just fine.
Some of you are likely shaking your head right now,
wondering what on earth could be wrong with saying “I am very pleased,”
while others are exultant that finally
there is a dictionary willing to tackle this linguistic excrescence
and tell kids the proper way to use very.
Since it seems likely that the former group will outnumber the latter,
let’s go over the problem with saying you are “very pleased” with something.
In the middle of the 19th century,
some grammarians suddenly decided that the word very had a bit too much freedom, and should be more restricted in its use.
George Marsh, in a collection of essays published in 1862,
explains that the adverb very should be used to qualify adjectives,
and should not be applied to participles
(“a word having the characteristics of both verb and adjective”).
In Marsh’s view it was therefore permissible to write or say “I am very happy,”
but it was not permissible to use “I am very delighted,”
since delighted is the past participle of the verb delight.
It makes sense, doesn’t it? You wish.
Marsh goes on to point out that it is acceptable to use “very learned,” and “very tired”; and while you may call someone a “disappointed man”
you cannot say “he is very disappointed.”
This seems a touch more difficult to figure out.
The Oxford English Dictionary, under their definition for the sense of very
in which is is modifying past participles, includes a short note:
“The correctness of this usage,
which has been prevalent from the middle of the 17th cent.,
depends on the extent to which the participle has acquired a purely adjectival sense.”
While this is not quite as simple as differentiating between to, too, and two,
at least we have a clear set of guidelines to follow here:
once a participle becomes an adjective
it can be modified with very,
but until that point it is very delicate
and must be protected from the very by placing another modifier
(such as much) before it.
So how do we know when a participle has become an adjective?
Randolph Quirk’s A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language
gives four criteria that must be met before a participle graduates from verbhood
and is given adjectival status: it can be used attributively
(“you have your annoyed face on”);
in predicative use with seem (“you seem rather annoyed with me”);
it can be premodified by very (“Yes, I am very annoyed”);
it can be used in comparison
(“I would say I am more annoyed than when you dropped my goldfish”).
Some of us might not have the time or patience to silently run Quirk’s four criteria through our heads before deciding whether we can use a very or not.
If you are one such person you can simply carry a large number of muches around with you, and take pains to add one between every very and possible participle you use.
Or you could remember the wise words of H.W. Fowler,
writing in his Modern English Usage,
“The process by which a participle becomes an adjective is gradual;
whether any particular one has passed the barrier must often be a matter of opinion.”
(And in case you were wondering, most people think it is just fine to use "very pleased.")
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Word History
Literally everything you’ll ever need to know about semantic bleaching
A very special article about “very” (& “actually”, “really,” “ultimately” …)
Many people complain about the use of literally in a way that seems, well, non-literal.
This is because figurative use of the word (“I literally died laughing”)
seems to contradict the meaning of the Latin root of literally, littera, which means “letter.”
'Semantic bleaching' is the reduction of a word's intensity
—as when 'very' (from the Latin 'verus', "true") is used for emphasis
("there aren't very many stock photos of semantic bleaching in action").
The problem some people have with literally is that it’s a mushy adverb:
if we removed it from our example and said “I died laughing,”
the sentence is understood in precisely the same (non-literal) way
—as hyperbole.
Adding “literally” just adds emphasis;
it’s the salt in the stew because
the burden of meaning is on the other words (“died laughing”).
Therefore, if “literally” is added and no change in meaning is the result,
then ipso facto “literally” literally carries little meaning in this particular sentence.
This reduction of a word’s intensity is called “semantic bleaching,”
and it’s a linguistic phenomenon that is more common than you may realize:
when you say “Have a great day!”
you don’t mean “Have a day that is large in spatial dimension,”
and when you say “That movie was awesome”
you don’t necessarily mean “That movie was expressive of awe or terror.”
Both great and awesome (and fantastic, amazing, awful, and many others)
have meanings that have become less literal over time.
We could say that the problem with some uses of literally
isn’t that it has lost some of its meaning,
it’s that other uses haven’t lost the original meaning “by the letter”
or “actually.” Both exist in frequent usage today.
Like literally, very and really retain their original meanings
but have added another.
Very came to English from the French spoken by the Norman invaders,
and the 13th-century word for “true” was verai,
which compressed to vrai in modern French.
The ultimate Latin root is verus, meaning “true.”
We still use very to mean “truly” or “truthfully”
(“that was a very brave act,” “I’m very sorry”),
but it frequently conveys emphasis for which
truth is neither particularly important nor in doubt
(“the very last thing I packed,” “you’re very welcome,” “the food isn’t very good”). It’s an intensifier—a word that colors another but that,
in this case, has little color itself.
The same is true of really: sometimes it means “in reality”
(“they really are twins”) but it often confers simple emphasis
(“I had a really great time”)
or subjective judgment (“that’s a really good play”)
that doesn’t depend on objective realness or reality.
Ultimately originally meant “finally” or “at the end” (“they ultimately succeeded”) reflecting its Latin root ultimatus meaning “last” or “final,”
but is now also often used to mean “eventually”
(“we ultimately agreed to the deal”).
Actually originally meant “in act or in fact”
(“I don’t know what actually happened”)
but is much weaker in meaning
when it is used to emphasize that a statement is true or surprising
(“we actually planned to leave early,” “the movie was actually pretty good”).
Sometimes it seems as though
literally is held to an adverbial double standard
that makes many people question the validity of its use as an intensifier,
whereas other words with similar patterns of usage seem to pass without criticism.
While it’s important to be careful about language use,
it’s also important to acknowledge that language is flexible
and words can have several different meanings.
Effective use of intensifiers means using them sparingly.
Ultimately, it’s up to you.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Choose the Right Synonym for unique
STRANGE, SINGULAR, UNIQUE, PECULIAR,
ECCENTRIC, ERRATIC, ODD, QUAINT, OUTLANDISH
mean departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected.
STRANGE stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable. a journey filled with strange sights
SINGULAR suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness. a singular feeling of impending disaster
UNIQUE implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel. a career unique in the annals of science
PECULIAR implies a marked distinctiveness. the peculiar status of America's First Lady
ECCENTRIC suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior. the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers
ERRATIC stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating. a friend's suddenly erratic behavior
ODD applies to a departure from the regular or expected. an odd sense of humor
QUAINT suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness. a quaint fishing village
OUTLANDISH applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric. outlandish fashions of the time
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Can something be very Unique or somewhat Unique?
Usage guide
Many commentators have objected to the comparison or modification
(as by somewhat or very) of unique,
often asserting that a thing is either unique or it is not.
Objections are based chiefly on the assumption that
unique has but a single absolute sense,
an assumption contradicted by information readily available in a dictionary.
Unique dates back to the 17th century
but was little used until the end of the 18th when,
according to the Oxford English Dictionary, it was reacquired from French.
H. J. Todd entered it as a foreign word in his edition (1818) of Johnson's Dictionary, characterizing it as "affected and useless."
Around the middle of the 19th century it ceased to be considered foreign and came into considerable popular use.
With popular use came a broadening of application beyond the original two meanings (here numbered senses 1 and 2a).
Dictionary of Problem Words and Expressions
Very
Because very is primarily an adjective
it should not be used to qualify a verb.
Write “She was very much loved by her children,”
not “She was very loved ….”
However, when very is followed by a participle that has
the effect of an adjective,
informal use would allow very to appear without a qualifying word
such as much or greatly: “Shewas very concerned.”
The only real objection to very is that
it is uttered over and over in almost every conceivable instance
calling for an intensive.
One language
'once told his students never to say or write very
unless they meant damn or dammed,
and then to delete the profanity.
The message: usevery “very” little or not at all.
Common Errors In English Usage Dictionary
Very & unique
“Unique” singles out one of a kind.
That “un” at the beginning is a form of “one.”
A thing is unique (the only one of its kind) or it is not.
Something may be almost unique (there are very few like it),
but nothing is “very unique."
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