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Joined: Jul 2000
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094 |
There can be only one worst.
I agree.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
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But you could have the least worst of the three worst evils. Which would make it the best of the three worst. Or the lesser of three evils. See, you have worse, worst, and worser...so the least worst would be the worse one, to say the least. But I dunno what's worse, being the least of the worst or the worst of the least. However, the least of the worst is pretty mediocre when you think about it...like liverwurst without mustard and onions--that would be liverworst or liverworse, at the very best. Not the least of which would be the absence of rye bread, which would make it liverworstest. But I dunno which is liverworster, do you? Which is the least worse of the liverworst..sans onions, sans mustard, or sans rye bread? So, you see, least qualifying worst is, at worst, pretty simple, when you take a look at it in application at least.
Now, if you'd wanna get into the declension of least, leaster, and leastest...well, that's the worst least discussion you can into, believe me.
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742 |
>But you could have the least worst of the three worst evils.
No you couldn't. Dr. Bill is correct, a superlative is the end of the line. If something is not as bad, less horrible, less evil, or whatever, it is, by definition, not the worst. This one is so simple even I can get it. Something is either the worst, or it isn't. Or are you suggesting it's possible for someone to be a little bit dead?
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Posts: 1,692
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692 |
Scenario:
I am pulling together a cast for a play. For one character I have a choice of three actors. One is worst at remembering his lines, another is worst at speaking clearly while the third is worst at understanding the character. Which do I pick?
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Joined: Aug 2000
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 |
Which do I pick?
The one whose worstness is least important.  EDIT: Actually, you should re-advertise the job!
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Dearr WO'N: You could have done worse, but I don't know how.
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Joined: Apr 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
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I was curious as to whether this phrase was more prevalent in the US or U.K., but it looks like 6100 or so google hits are pretty well split, and there are 48 hits at news.bbc.co alone.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
>But you could have the least worst of the three worst evils.
Well...you have murder, rape, and armed robbery as the three worst on a listing of crimes. Say murder is the worst (though some may put rape as the worst), but armed robbery would definitely be the least worst of the three. It's definitely not the best, there is no best crime.
who would you pick for the play?
Well, dxb, from my experience there's some excellent actors who have trouble memorizing their lines, but who always seem to pull through in the end (and you can always cover for a dropped line or two along the way). OTOH, an inability to speak clearly or understand character makes for a weak or disastrous performance and is destructive to the entire production and unfair to the other cast members...so I'd have to opt for the one who has trouble getting their lines down. So that would be the least worst of the three for me.
But you could say it's the best option or the best bet.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 27
newbie
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newbie
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 27 |
Might I suggest that "least worst" is a perfectly suitable formation if it is meant to tweak the mind's ear?
Similarly (in a story involving Yogi Berra though even he admits he never said half the things he's credited with saying) a person who was known for his chronic tardiness once arrived at a meeting just two minutes behind schedule. His comment: "This is the earliest I've ever been late!"
Makes sense t' me!
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I never sausage a strange discussion!
TEd
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