The least unattractive

Question

... and found the most attractive - or the least unattractive.Why in the text is the least unattractive not the least attractiveThanks

Canadian45 · Accepted Answer

Dominik... and found the most attractive - or the least unattractive. Why in the text is the least unattractive not the least attractiveThanks

The person was looking for someone attractive. If there were at least one attractive person, (s)he would (chose)(find) the most attractive one. If there were no attractive people, (s)he would choose the least unattractive (= least ugly) one.

So (s)he still would have found the most attractive one, relatively speaking, of all the people (s)he saw.

CalifJim · Answer

less attractive < . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > more attractive

< --------- "unattractive" ---------------> |< ------------ "attractive" -------------- >

more less less more

unattractive . . . . . . . unattractive | attractive . . . . . . . . . attractive

X A

the most attractive - or the least unattractive

"most attractive" may be taken to be at A -- most attractive in the "attractive" category.
or is used to correct or modify what was said earlier.
"least unattractive" is the position the author intended to indicate -- least unattractive in the "unattractive" category, that is, at X.

It's as if the author is saying, "the most attractive, but if you thought I meant 'at A', let me clarify. By 'most attractive' I actually meant 'at X'".

CJ

Clive · Answer

Hi,
.. and found the most attractive - or the least unattractive.

Why in the text is the least unattractive not ~~the least attractive~~

Look, there's Mary and her two girl friends. Mary is the most attractive. This implies that all 3 girls are attractive.

Look, there's Mary and her two girl friends. Mary is the least unattractive. This implies that all 3 girls are unattractive.

Clive.

Dominik · Answer

Thank you very much my friends for your clarification.

The least unattractive

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