Forbes  +  158596 Mon, 14 Nov 05 06:47 PM How about: Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart are my favourite composers, but Beethoven is my most favourite? Sort of sounds OK, but not quite right, unless done "knowingly". What should one say instead of most favourite here? Forbes Joined on Thu, Jun 16 2005 Regular Member 895

	paco2004  +  158632 Mon, 14 Nov 05 10:52 PM Although my E-J dictionary says "most/more favorite" is a wrong usage, I come to feel it should be accepted as a standard usage. Even in NY times, they use "most favorite" in the news article as below. "Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani's latest strategy in his newest, most favorite sport-- making mischief in the race for his successor -- seems to be to bolster the fortunes of one Democratic candidate, City Council Speaker Peter F. Vallone, and to continue to harm another, City Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi" (May 1, 2001 by Elizabeth Bumiller). OED gives 14 quotes using "most favourite" and two quotes using "more favourable" and the dictionary doesn't mention anything that suggests such usages are wrong. I began to wonder on what basis my E-J dictionary is saying that they are wrong. paco paco2004 Joined on Wed, Nov 17 2004 Senior Member 4,095 In Japan today even dogs are learning how to bow-wow in English. Articles, Dates

	MrPedantic  +  158651 Tue, 15 Nov 05 12:06 AM It would be awkward if all items in the sets "my favourite things" and "my favourite people" were equally "favourite". Forbes's question is interesting: "Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn are my favourite composers; but I like Beethoven best of all." Does "best of all" imply something similar to "most favourite"? MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 12,592 ...opella forensis / adducit febris...

	davkett  +  158667 Tue, 15 Nov 05 12:51 AM  Clive wrote: 'Favourite' means preferred above all others This has always been the meaning I've understood , which gives 'most favorite' an untenable meaning.  Even though everyone understands the intended meaning of 'most favorite', if we accept the intrinsic meaning of the two words, I don't see how we can find the combination viable.  There are plenty of grammatically sound ways to say how you rank the items in a group of 'favorites'. When ungrammatical phrases become standardized, do the definitions of the component words have to change, or do we need to add a Phrase Dictionary to our reference library?     davkett Joined on Tue, Jun 7 2005 Pennsylvania, USA Senior Member 2,788 "The rose stays fresh in its name..." -Bernard of Morlay

	Clive  +  158688 Tue, 15 Nov 05 02:03 AM Hi guys, Is this an opportune time to mention that google gives these results for 'bestest'? 1,970,000 for "bestest". 503,000 for "the bestest". Bestest wishes, Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,657 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

	CalifJim  +  158720 Tue, 15 Nov 05 04:52 AM This is quickly becoming the most perfect thread on the forum. CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,447 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

	Teo  +  158782 Tue, 15 Nov 05 10:27 AM  CalifJim wrote: This is quickly becoming the most perfect thread on the forum. It's probably also the most unique!  In Google, a search of "most unique" shows 3,070,000 results. Teo Joined on Tue, Sep 28 2004 Taiwan Contributing Member 1,631 Thank you very much for your reply.