UNIQUE should not have a qualifier? Does it not mean "one of a kind" and thus it is incorrect to say, for example, "more unique'? One sees this misuse in advertising frequently. Is it now acceptable as sloppy but common usage?
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2See "Are the rules regarding absolute modifiers too absolute?"– rhetoricianCommented Jul 30, 2013 at 4:06
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Why did you capitalize your first word? Can you re-write this post fluently? Your first sentence is not a question, and your latter two make assumptions about (what seems to be) the answer you're seeking. Is this a test question?– hunter2Commented Jul 30, 2013 at 6:12
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Giving you +1 just because you don't deserve hunter2's petulance.– QubeCommented Jul 30, 2013 at 6:30
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@Qube That's not really how votes are intended to be used. If you're so concerned, perhaps you'd like to leave a better answer? Or take a look at the stream of similar questions that have come up recently, or initiate a chat or Meta to tell me what you want?– hunter2Commented Jul 30, 2013 at 7:01
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Not necessary as the first two comments deal with the question. Perhaps, you should take your own advice.– QubeCommented Jul 30, 2013 at 7:56
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1 Answer
It is acceptable not only as "sloppy but common usage", but also as logically sound usage.
"Put this flower in your window to make your house more unique."
How do you determine whether something is unique? Your house and your neighbor's are each unique in some ways (the only house at that address, for example) and not in others (most houses have a roof and at least three exterior walls). So, even going by a definition of "one-of-a-kind", a flower in the window is one more way to make your house one-of-a-kind (in its neighborhood, at least).
"Unique" is also used to mean "distinct", without necessarily being the only one of its kind. Arguably this is a sloppy / non-literal definition, but it is very common.
