1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Absolute Adjectives

Discussion in 'Other Discussions' started by humblethinker, Oct 31, 2012.

Top Posters
  1. humblethinker

    humblethinker Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Messages:
    1,285
    Likes Received:
    0
    It is not generally accepted, at least by those in the field of linguistics/grammar, to use the term 'most perfect' or 'more perfect'.

    Examples of controversy and/or objection:
    Preamble of the US constitution "...in order to form a more perfect union…"
    Grammarphobia.com http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2008/01/justifiable-usage.html
    http://www.baptistboard.com/showpost.php?p=1919113&postcount=24
    There are many more...

    Interesting articles about language and usage:
    http://grammar.about.com/od/tz/g/usageterm.htm
    http://grammar.about.com/od/ab/g/absadjterm.htm
     
    #1 humblethinker, Oct 31, 2012
  2. billwald

    billwald New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2000
    Messages:
    11,414
    Likes Received:
    2
    It is mathematical problem? Like comparing infinities?
     
    #2 billwald, Oct 31, 2012
  3. humblethinker

    humblethinker Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Messages:
    1,285
    Likes Received:
    0
    That's something to think on for sure... it seems whether in mathematics or grammar, there are similarities in logic. Maybe that's where these issues arise and are just manifested in grammar in mathematics.

    Good question Billwald.
     
    #3 humblethinker, Nov 1, 2012
  4. humblethinker

    humblethinker Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Messages:
    1,285
    Likes Received:
    0
    #4 humblethinker, Nov 1, 2012
  5. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Messages:
    9,796
    Likes Received:
    700
    Faith:
    Baptist
    http://www.thefreedictionary.com/absolute
    http://www.thefreedictionary.com/perfect
    http://www.thefreedictionary.com/equal
     
    #5 Jerome, Nov 1, 2012
  6. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2005
    Messages:
    9,031
    Likes Received:
    2
    The correct way to say it is "more nearly perfect," regardless of how our Consistution puts it.

    If it's perfect, it can't be more perfect.

    If can be "more," it can't be perfect.

    Perfect is an absolute. Either it is or it isn't.

    Like pregnant. Either you are or our aren't.
     
    #6 Tom Butler, Nov 9, 2012
  7. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Messages:
    9,796
    Likes Received:
    700
    Faith:
    Baptist
    #7 Jerome, Nov 9, 2012
  8. humblethinker

    humblethinker Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Messages:
    1,285
    Likes Received:
    0
    Haha, yeah, I'm sure for some people that DOES settle it! It IS 'orthodox'! Good catch there Jerome!
     
    #8 humblethinker, Nov 20, 2012
  9. humblethinker

    humblethinker Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Messages:
    1,285
    Likes Received:
    0
    So Tom, would you agree that there is no such thing as a perfect chair?
     
    #9 humblethinker, Nov 20, 2012
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Loading...