Redundant? "Extraordinarily singular"

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Kalmia - 26 Feb 2010 20:35 GMT

I received an invitation to what is promised to be an "extraordinarily
singular event."
Isn't "singular" enough?

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Eric Walker - 26 Feb 2010 20:59 GMT

> I received an invitation to what is promised to be an "extraordinarily
> singular event."
> Isn't "singular" enough?

At first blush, it would seem so. But mere uniqueness does not assure an
event of also being extraordinary (after all, every snowflake that ever
fell was of a singular nature). Mind, it would make more sense if the
Adverb Plague were cured and the event described as "extraordinary and
singular". Still, I suppose it is at least colorable that there could be
a way in which the event's singularity is achieved by extraordinary means.

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Cordially,
Eric Walker, Owlcroft House
http://owlcroft.com/english/

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Arcadian Rises - 27 Feb 2010 13:56 GMT

> > I received an invitation to what is promised to be an "extraordinarily
> > singular event."
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> singular". �Still, I suppose it is at least colorable that there could be
> a way in which the event's singularity is achieved by extraordinary means.

But with the "Adverb Plauge", doesn't it also mean that the event is
singular due to extraordinary circumstances? [under normal
circumstances it would be an unremarkable occurrence].

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Arcadian Rises - 27 Feb 2010 14:53 GMT

[...]

> But with the "Adverb Plauge",

Plague, of course.

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Steve Hayes - 27 Feb 2010 05:42 GMT

>I received an invitation to what is promised to be an "extraordinarily
>singular event."
>Isn't "singular" enough?

Sounds pretty unique to me.

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Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

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Chuck Riggs - 27 Feb 2010 14:05 GMT

>>I received an invitation to what is promised to be an "extraordinarily
>>singular event."
>>Isn't "singular" enough?
>
>Sounds pretty unique to me.

That was my initial reaction. Then I read Eric Walker's post.

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Regards,

Chuck Riggs,
An American who lives near Dublin, Ireland and usually spells in BrE

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Mark Brader - 27 Feb 2010 05:42 GMT

"Kalmia":

> I received an invitation to what is promised to be an "extraordinarily
> singular event." Isn't "singular" enough?

Well, that would depend whether it really was extraordinarily singular.
But if you're under the impression that "singular" is an incomparable
adjective, it wasn't one in the Sherlock Holmes stories (Holmes said
things like "very singular") and I don't see why it should be today.

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Mark Brader "Could you please continue the petty bickering?
Toronto I find it most intriguing."
msb@vex.net -- Data ("Haven", ST:TNG, Tracy Torme)

My text in this article is in the public domain.

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / February 2010

Redundant? "Extraordinarily singular"