-1

I was wondering about the semantic meaning of 'how' in this phrase.

How unique?

Could it be taken out and left as just "Unique?" Or does it actually give meaning to the phrase?

Justin
  • 10,186
ConlangersUnite
  • 3
  • 2
    It doesn't give meaning to the phrase; it gives structure. How doesn't have any semantics when it's used as a wh-quantifier for adjectives, like how big/small/unique/green/stupid. It's just there to mark the phrase as special. Little words like which, the, of, at, that have uses instead of meanings; they're gears inside the clock, not numbers on the face. – John Lawler May 31 '22 at 13:39
  • 3
    In what circumstances would you use "How unique" as a question? – KillingTime May 31 '22 at 14:19
  • 1
    @KillingTime, presumably it would be used after one's interlocutor claimed that something was unique, as a request for an explanation of the degree and nature of its uniqueness. – jsw29 May 31 '22 at 15:21
  • @jsw29 in which universe is 'unique' not an absolute? – Weather Vane May 31 '22 at 16:27
  • 1
    Related: Are the rules regarding absolute adjectives too absolute? – Weather Vane May 31 '22 at 17:05
  • 1
    @KillingTime How unique can be a standalone question with an implied object. "How unique <is the watch I'm showing to you>?" – GOATNine May 31 '22 at 17:10
  • @jsw29 In that case, OP’s question would be elliptical, no? “This is a unique car.” “How unique [[is it]]?” And then “how” is simply an adverb. (With the caveat that some people don’t like to consider degrees of “uniqueness”.) – MarcInManhattan May 31 '22 at 17:17
  • @MarcInManhattan I've checked in various reputable non-historic online dictionaries, and the broadened usage is on the way to catching up the ungradable usage. I was about to comment that the second speaker is violating a Gricean maxim by rejecting the default sense, but it could be that the first speaker is the one who now needs to define terms. – Edwin Ashworth May 31 '22 at 19:03
  • 1
    @EdwinAshworth Ah, that’s an interesting way to consider it, thank you. – MarcInManhattan May 31 '22 at 20:58
  • @WeatherVane, unique is indeed absolute when used in scientific, philosophical, and similar contexts, but in casual conversations it is often used more loosely, to mean something like remarkable. Moreover, something can be unique, in the strict sense, in one respect, and not be unique in another. – jsw29 Jun 01 '22 at 15:42
  • @jsw29 I should have put a :) cue when asking "in which universe". – Weather Vane Jun 01 '22 at 15:45
  • Back to the OP: Are you sure it's a question? "How unique!" can be an exclamation, meaning that something is remarkably unique. Similar to "How beautiful!". – Barmar Jun 01 '22 at 20:07

1 Answers1

0

It's shorthand for a certain expression. For example:

  • How unique is it?
  • How unique are they?

This is not actually strange at all. It is in line with the dictionary's definition of the word 'how'. See Lexico:

  1. In what way or manner; by what means.
    ‘how does it work?’
  2. Used to ask about the condition or quality of something.
    ‘how was your vacation?’
    • Used to ask about someone's physical or mental state.
      ‘how are the children?’
  3. with adjective or adverb Used to ask about the extent or degree of something.
    ‘how old are you?’
    • Used to express a strong feeling such as surprise about the extent of something.
      ‘how kind it was of him’
  4. relative adverb The way in which; that.
    ‘she told us how she had lived out of a suitcase for a week’
    • In any way in which; however. ‘I'll do business how I like’
Laurel
  • 66,382
officethefive
  • 44
  • I'd say that the question is in need of clarification before an answer is attempted (or judged valid) here on ELU, officethefive. (1) I'd consider standalone 'How unique!' idiomatic nowadays, modelling on 'How quaint!' and ''How boring!' for instance, though I prefer to use 'unique' in the original ungradable sense. _But this usage of 'how', 3b above, needs pointing out in an answer. But it may already have been covered on ELU. And OP should really have added the above research. (2) With a question mark, ... – Edwin Ashworth May 31 '22 at 18:58
  • this has to be an echo question following a statement like 'This candlestick is unique.' It opens up the debate on the broadened sense of 'unique', and whether it is acceptable for the second speaker to assume the non-default usage. – Edwin Ashworth May 31 '22 at 18:58
  • @EdwinAshworth, the question was about 'How unique?', not 'How unique!'. – jsw29 Jun 01 '22 at 15:34
  • @jsw29 And as I've said, 'I'd say that the question is in need of clarification before an answer is attempted (or judged valid)'. Context (perhaps situational: You walk into an antique shop, see a vase, and say ...) is needed. In any case, I think there will be a valid ELU reason not to 'answer'. – Edwin Ashworth Jun 01 '22 at 18:16
  • @jsw29 It's true that the OP has it written as a question. But someone who needs to ask a question like this is probably not a native speaker, and may not have understood the way the phrase was used. Several of us have asked for confirmation that it was really a question. – Barmar Jun 01 '22 at 20:10