OKay crime stoppers: Recognize This Hat

[RockyMTblue2]

The article says its "very unique"!

Seems the hat's owner pulled a hit and run. I figure it has to be one of us right?

https://patch.com/connecticut/easth...conn-championship-hat-scene-east-haven-police

 

[Sonny44]

The article says its "very unique"!

View attachment 22814

Seems the hat's owner pulled a hit and run. I figure it has to be one of us right?

Hit-And-Run Suspect Leaves UConn Championship Hat At the Scene: East Haven Police

I thought we were the good guys.

 

[eebmg]

A LVol framing us?

 

[HoopsFan21]

It was probably Sue and DT while driving a recruit to McDonalds for free fries.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

It was probably Sue and DT while driving a recruit to McDonalds for free fries.

This could be the post of the day. LOL

 

[UConnNick]

It was probably Sue and DT while driving a recruit to McDonalds for free fries.

Tennessee can add this violation to their 30 page list of recruiting violations. I think it will be determined to be a "secondary violation".

 

[GoingPostal]

I missed out on getting one of those hats. This could be my chance to claim this one. I may need bail money though!

 

[bags27]

The hat is very unique, police said.
Groan. Unique cannot be modified. It is an absolute: either it is or it isn't.

 

[meyers7]

The hat is very unique, police said.

What's unique about a UCONN WBB National Championship hat?? There's a new one practically every year.

 

[cabbie191]

The hat is very unique, police said.
Groan. Unique cannot be modified. It is an absolute: either it is or it isn't.

Hmm - maybe, maybe not, as in:

Unique - one in a million
Very unique - one in a billion
Very very unique - one in a trillion

I tend to think some things can be "uniquer" then other things.

And to stretch the conversation a bit, is there such a thing as a white lie?

(But I generally agree that most of us can be a bit sloppy with proper English usage.)

 

[j66kicker]

Hmm - maybe, maybe not, as in:

Unique - one in a million
Very unique - one in a billion
Very very unique - one in a trillion

I tend to think some things can be "uniquer" then other things.

And to stretch the conversation a bit, is there such a thing as a white lie?

(But I generally agree that most of us can be a bit sloppy with proper English usage.)

Bags is right - either mathematically, or in everyday English (according to Merriam-Webster Definition of UNIQUE), "unique" means "only one."

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Apparently the East Haven police have been locked in their cars for the last (let's be generous) 20 years.

 

[Bestiarius]

The hat is very unique, police said.
Groan. Unique cannot be modified. It is an absolute: either it is or it isn't.

It's funny, but something can't be very unique, but it can be very not unique.

 

[reno tony]

And to stretch the conversation a bit, is there such a thing as a white lie?

Jimmy Carter's mother was being interviewed and the interviewer was pressing her hard about a Jimmy Carter statement "If you know I have lied, don't vote for me." She finally said he might have told a little white lie a time or two. The interviewer thought he had her and said a lie is a lie is a lie and what would she consider a white lie. Her statement was 'Remember when I said it was a pleasure to meet you."

 

[UConnNick]

It could easily be described as one of America's most ubiquitous championship hats. How many other American teams, college or pro, have won 11 or more national titles? Not many.

 

[cabbie191]

Bags is right - either mathematically, or in everyday English (according to Merriam-Webster Definition of UNIQUE), "unique" means "only one."

Well, I agree that in mathematics that unique is an absolute.

But I don't think things are so black and white in language. While it is true that dictionaries have definitions, I think their authoritativeness reflects a snippet of time. Language and the meaning of words is fluid and hence, definitions change over time, particularly if the majority of the population continuously misuses a word.

Good example is presently. It's original meaning was "in the near future" but is has been so frequently used to denote present tense that you'll now find that meaning in some dictionaries.

 

[Bigboote]

The hat is very unique, police said.
Groan. Unique cannot be modified. It is an absolute: either it is or it isn't.

"Very unique" has been part of English as long as unique has. It does bug me, but if it's good enough for Jane Austen, I can accept it.
Regarding cabbie191's post, the use of presently to mean currently bugs me a lot more than "very unique."

 

[bags27]

"Very unique" has been part of English as long as unique has. It does bug me, but if it's good enough for Jane Austen, I can accept it.
Regarding cabbie191's post, the use of presently to mean currently bugs me a lot more than "very unique."

When it refers to an object, as Oxford English Dictionary, it is generally considered to be solitary, rather than qualified. As the police used "very unique" it suggested that there may be other unique (singular) NC hats, but that this one may stand out in even a more particular way. If that's what you think they mean, I'm certainly okay with that.

As do you, I shudder at presently as currently. But the OED thinks it's perfectly fine under its usage #2.

Good discussion!

 

[meyers7]

Apparently the East Haven police have been locked in their cars for the last (let's be generous) 20 years.

Eh, probably at a Dunkin' Donuts.