Post by excoriator on Mar 6, 2021 9:48:36 GMT
I was once, quite rightly, taken to task by Jean for using this phrase. 'Worst' is, like 'Unique', an absolute and 'least worst' is as nonsensical as 'most unique'. Something is either worst or it isn't. You can't have a number of 'worsts' some of which are better than others. If you want to use it, the phrase is 'Least worse' as worse is a comparative.
But her sharp admonition alerted me to its usage and it is extremely common. I've heard it time and time on the Beeb even from people one might expect better from, read it everywhere including the Guardian which used to be punctilious about such things. It grieves me to say it and I doubt if Jean would agree, but perhaps it is time to simply accept it as another example of ownership of the language by people who use it and their right to break grammatical rules whenever they damn well please.
I will stick to 'lease worse' though.
But her sharp admonition alerted me to its usage and it is extremely common. I've heard it time and time on the Beeb even from people one might expect better from, read it everywhere including the Guardian which used to be punctilious about such things. It grieves me to say it and I doubt if Jean would agree, but perhaps it is time to simply accept it as another example of ownership of the language by people who use it and their right to break grammatical rules whenever they damn well please.
I will stick to 'lease worse' though.