http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=1093865


in reply to Re^2: My favorite superfluous repetitious redundant duplicative phrase is:
in thread My favorite superfluous repetitious redundant duplicative phrase is:

Heh ... that sent me scurrying to my "Concise Oxford Dictionary". Even back when it was published (early nineties) it seems they were making an allowance for degrees of uniqueness:

2 disp. unusual, remarkable (the most unique man)

Just another example of how braindead usage can alter the meaning(s) of a word ... but at least it validates your assertion.

I'm reminded of the notion that some infinities are larger than others:
There's an infinite number of reals in the range 1..2.
There's an infinite number of reals in the range 1..3.
But there's clearly more reals in the range 1..3 than in the range 1..2 (because all of the reals in the latter also belong to the former, but not vice-versa). Therefore the infinite number of reals in the range 1..3 is greater than the infinite number of reals in the range 1..2.

If we can get people to start talking in terms of degrees of infiniteness then we'll eventually see that in the Oxford Dictionary, too, no doubt.

Anyway ... for mine something is either unique or it's not unique.

Cheers,
Rob

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^4: My favorite superfluous repetitious redundant duplicative phrase is:
by SuicideJunkie (Vicar) on Jul 16, 2014 at 14:53 UTC

    Clearly, but not Actually:

    You can make a 1:1 mapping of reals in the range 1..2 to reals in the range 1..3 (using a -1*2+1 pattern)

    Thus, contrary to the obvious answer, there are exactly the same number of numbers in both ranges.

      Clearly, but not Actually

      Yes, but my sophistry would probably convince many - especially those who like to think about "degrees of uniqueness".

      Cheers,
      Rob
Re^4: My favorite superfluous repetitious redundant duplicative phrase is:
by chacham (Prior) on Jul 16, 2014 at 14:56 UTC

    The notion?? It's the ABCs of infinities: Aleph_number

    Both 1..3 and 1..2 have the same "infinite number" of reals. A classic book on the subject is appropriately named One_Two_Three_..._Infinity.

      A classic book on the subject is appropriately named One_Two_Three_..._Infinity

      Y'know, I had (completely ?) forgotten about my intention to read that book ... thank you for the reminder.

      Cheers,
      Rob