"Nearly Infallible"

Discussion in 'Linguistics' started by Kittamaru, Jul 26, 2017.

  1. The God Valued Senior Member

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    I liked this approaching aspect. Good one. We all knew, even kittamaru understood the point, but none could express it so mathematically clear.
     
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  3. Kittamaru Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Adieu, Sciforums. Valued Senior Member

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    MR said that "nearly infallible" is impossible - my point is to determine if that is accurate (as he claims) or not (as I claim).

    Which is what I had thought as well.

    Lol, fair enough! T'would seem, then, that its usage determines the criteria for correctness. The particular usage that spawned this thread was:
    and
    It appears to be, at least in my understanding, an attempt to re-define words to fit the desired narrative.

    Hm, a fair enough assessment, if a bit more black and white than shades of grey, but I like it
     
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  5. sculptor Valued Senior Member

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    nearly infallible

    if infallible = perfect
    then
    I am a shooter
    I hit at least 98% of my targets
    I ain't perfect(infallible)
    but I do come close
    "nearly infallible"
    seems easier to think of than "almost perfect"

    (the army went with "expert"--------) (the meaning of which remained unexplained)

    ok
    so
    I'll go with "My marksmanship is nearly infallible" with no regrets

    ----------------------------
    ain't no black and white, all is/are grey scales.
     
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  7. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    One is one. It's either one or not. But there's nothing wrong with nearly one.
     
  8. Baldeee Valued Senior Member

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    Full is full.
    It's either full or not.

    Can a glass ever be "nearly full"?
    Oh, the ridiculousness of it!

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  9. Randwolf Ignorance killed the cat Valued Senior Member

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    Only the gravest of matters are pondered on Sci.

    Oh, the profundity of it all!

    The humanity...
     
  10. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

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    I can go with nearly full

    If say a container holds 100 litres and there are 99.99 litres in the container I have no problem accepting it as nearly full

    It only suggest a closeness to a full state

    Something can be almost impossible which stands for

    with a bit more effort it will be possible

    suggesting it has been done but very infrequently

    However it does not work in reverse so to speak

    Almost possible seems to indicate a knowledge of how it done which begs the question well why hasn't it been done?

    Damn I broke my own rule I was only going to make one post here

    New rule

    Will only make 2 post here

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  11. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    Can you ever be near new York City?

    Of course the glass can be nearly full - not full but near to full.
     
  12. The God Valued Senior Member

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    Let's change a bit, can the qualifier "nearly" be used with infallible?

    It's like "nearly genius" or "nearly honest" if used to describe a person. Appears quite improper.

    If at all it is ok to use qualifier here, then should it not be "almost infallible"?
     
  13. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    What I think we are all struggling to articulate is that some adjectives are "non-comparable". Infallible and unique are examples. That means you cannot have "more" infallible or unique, or "very" infallible or unique.

    https://simple.wiktionary.org/wiki/non-comparable_adjective

    But you can perfectly well have "nearly" infallible or unique, as that is not a comparative construction. It is simply that the thing in question is very close to being in a state such that the term can be applied, or that the inaccuracy implied in applying it is small.
     
  14. The God Valued Senior Member

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    I do not know why baldee feels that nearly full is a problem, full represents quantity here. We can say nearly full or almost full. It's like nearly empty or almost empty....much more prevalent than nearly infallible.
     
  15. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    "Nearly genius" is one IQ point below genius. "Nearly honest" is occasionally dishonest.
     
  16. Dywyddyr Penguinaciously duckalicious. Valued Senior Member

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    It's a nearly interesting argument...
     
  17. Baldeee Valued Senior Member

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    Baldeee doesn't have a problem with it.
    You seem to be missing the

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    that was included to signify (at least I hoped it would) that it was clearly intended as sarcasm.
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2017
  18. The God Valued Senior Member

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    Oh, he is nearly honest, it is just that he was caught bribing a policeman!
     
  19. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

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    Near genius OK ✓
    Near honest NO X

    Best near honest is ~ approx little dishonest

    New rule only 3 post here

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  20. sculptor Valued Senior Member

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    I tried that once circa 45 years ago when I handed the policeman my drivers licence with a $100. bill attached. (for speeding---my 3rd that year---at the time 3 speeding tickets within 1 year = lose your drivers licence)
    He didn't want it and returned the $, while blocking the view of his partner, and saying: "Put that away and don't try that again". So, I went to court and gave $50. to a lawyer who whispered something to the judge who admonished me to slow down and dismissed the case.

    If the time I spent going to court was worth $50. then I came out even.
    I did not think offering the cop the $100. was dishonest, just expeditious.

    EDIT - fixed LaTeX formatting. -Kittamaru
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 28, 2017
  21. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    Honesty is necessarily approximate. There is no way to accurately measure it, so "nearly honest" is a valid approximation.
     
  22. StrangerInAStrangeLand SubQuantum Mechanic Valued Senior Member

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    She nearly fell in love with him.

    <>

    That does not sound right but I hate the word almost.
     

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