[Dixielandjazz] non-jazz {WAS: RE: When Country Meets Dixie}

[Stephen G Barbone]

Dear Don

I gathered that you "meant", that most cannot modify "unique" ala  
"Most unique rankles me." But then, coupled with the second part of  
the sentence referencing it to jazz the complete sentence made  
absolutely no sense. However since your sentence was describing most  
unique as used in the original article, regarding "music"  naturally  
one would expect readers to misunderstand it. What you might have done  
to eliminate confusion as to meaning was say it like you did later,   
below. That would have been correct english usage.

> "I meant simply that  . . . the expression "most unique" rankles me  
> in and of itself."

After all if you are going to be pedantic fine, but then, do not  
commit the same misuse sins of the English language as us lesser folks.

Cheers,
Steve

On Jan 16, 2012, at 6:31 PM, Jerry Gordon wrote:

> Egad, Steve! I've been completely misunderstood, just as Judy Eames
> predicted. Let me be more explicit:
>
> "Unique" means one of a kind. Something is either unique (i.e.,  
> there is
> nothing else like it) or it is not. There are no degrees of  
> uniqueness. One
> thing cannot be "more unique" than another, nor can it be more  
> unique than
> two others, i.e.," most unique."
>
> Having said that, I recognize that many people incorrectly use  
> "unique" as
> if it means "different." There can be, of course, degrees of  
> difference.
> Language is constantly changing, and some day, unique = different  
> will be
> accepted as standard usage. Until then, I will continue to tilt at
> windmills. (Since we're friends, you can call me Don.)
>
> My statement " ... it's got nothing to do with jazz" referred not to  
> any of
> the musical content of your email; .
>
> Jerry the pedantic washboardist.
>
>
> On Jan 16, 2012, at 1:55 PM, Jerry Gordon wrote:
>
>> "Most unique" rankles me, and it's got nothing to do with jazz.
>
> In answer to Barbone
>
>> Stephen G Barbone Wrote:
>>
>> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] When Country Meets Dixie
>>
>> CAVEAT: The following excerpt from a Press Release may rankle the
>> "trad purists". Especially the last sentence:
>> "It's the most unique thing that we may hear musically for a long
>> time."
>
> Dear Jerry:
>
> Why not? Don't the Dukes play jazz?
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
> www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband
>
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