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Baraha Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

GRADEABLE OR ABSOLUTE?

Hi,

1) is there a way to distinguish a gradeable from an absolute adjective?

For instance:

Beautiful is absolute, Pretty is gradeable.
Delicious is absolute, but Tasty is gradeable.

2) Why is that so if they mean the same thing?

Thanks!
  

Top answer

I'm not sure that I'd agree that 'beautiful' and 'delicious' are absolute. They may be so in some grammar books, but they aren't in my personal experiences. Otherwise, how would we come up with something like "Sophia Loren is the most beautiful actress of all time"?

— Philip

  • I'm not sure that I'd agree that 'beautiful' and 'delicious' are absolute.
  • They may be so in some grammar books, but they aren't in my personal experiences.
  • Otherwise, how would we come up with something like "Sophia Loren is the most beautiful actress of all time"?
  • Most beautiful has more than 23 million hits on Google, by the way.
  • ]
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2 Answers
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I'm not sure that I'd agree that 'beautiful' and 'delicious' are absolute. They may be so in some grammar books, but they aren't in my personal experiences. Otherwise, how would we come up with something like "Sophia Loren is the most beautiful actress of all time"?

Most beautiful has more than 23 million hits on Google, by the way.

[Am I misunderstanding the terms 'abs
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Well, i am quite confused about this myself. Some books say Delicious is absolute.

Other words that are also deemed absolutes are: furious, excellent, ridiculous, hilarious, terrifying, exhausted

but is it acceptable to say:

This dish is more delicious than the other
I am more furious than he is.
It is most excellent that you dropped by today.
His joke was
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