Adjectives extreme and last as independent lexical units have a neutral stylistic connotation. Their spelling and use in combination with nouns is usually straightforward.
Regulatory restrictions on the use of these words in speech arise only if they are used in the formulas of speech etiquette "who is the last" and "who is the last."
Many believe that the phrase “Are you the last one?” Cannot be a polite form of addressing a stranger in line, so it is often replaced by a situational question with the question “Are you the last one?” or "Who is the last one?" This is because among the meanings of the word, the latter, associated with the order of the arrangement of a number of objects, there are also purely evaluative meanings: "insignificant, not deserving any attention" or "worst, causing contempt."
For example: The last crook wouldn't do that. He lived worse than the last beggar. Stealing and robbing is the last thing.
In the etiquette formula "who is the last" such a meaning is not implied. The phrase is used to establish a queue, to find one that is not yet followed by others, to take a place in a queue without breaking its order, sequence. Replacing the last adjective with the extreme adjective leads to inaccuracy of speech and blurred content of the question. The meaning of the word extreme indicates the location of something on the edge, from the edge: the extreme house on the street (at the edge of the street); extreme haystack (the one on the edge); extreme building.
In stable combinations of the deadline, extreme case, extreme measures, the adjective extreme has a tinge of expressiveness and denotes the exclusivity of a situation or action.
None of these values \u200b\u200bare appropriate for the question being addressed to the queue. A queue has a beginning and an end, not an edge: space is taken at the end of the queue, not at the edge. Correct in such a speech situation is the use of the phrase "Who is the last?" The adjective extreme has no semantic compatibility with the concept of queue, therefore the phrase "Who is the extreme?" from the point of view of the normativity of speech is imprecise, incorrect and inappropriate.
Last or last, which is correct? This question may seem complicated only at first glance. If you understand it from the point of view of logic and common sense, and even call on the grammar of the Russian language for help, then the answer will come by itself, since it is obvious.
It's all the fault of the queue
In our country, during the Soviet and perestroika times, queuing in a store for any product was not uncommon. Even goods such as ice cream were in short supply. Sometimes the line went outside the store itself and occupied half of the street. The queue as a phenomenon has not ceased to exist at the present time. Clinics, post offices, government offices - places where you can observe, and sometimes even participate in queues.
As a result, a kind of regular etiquette was formed with its own rules: how to take the queue, what words can be said and which cannot, and so on. There is even its own unique slang - the slang of people participating in queues. An example of a specific expression commonly used in queues is "Who is the last?" And more often than not, no one even has a doubt: how to speak correctly, extreme or last? The overwhelming majority of people will say that, of course, only the expression "Who is the last one?" Oddly enough, these people are deeply mistaken. After all, the queue has two edges, front and back. Accordingly, there are always two extremes too. And the last, like the first person in line, on the contrary, is always only one.
Superstition
So why are people so stubbornly reluctant to recognize the truly correct option? This is due to the persistent superstitious fear of the word "last", which is consciously or subconsciously associated with the last day in life, with death. especially pronounced in people whose activities are associated with constant risk: rescuers, firefighters, pilots, and so on.
Accordingly, when faced with a choice: how is it right, the last or the last in the queue, people most often choose the first option, because, simply, they are afraid to be impolite. After all, to the one who is asked, it may seem that they wish him something not entirely pleasant.
Excessive politeness
The source of errors in the question of how to correctly ask who is the last or the last is also the presence of the word "last" with negative connotations. But most often the verb is used in these meanings either in common speech or in local dialects. So "last" can mean "narrow-minded", "stupid", "bad", "worthless". Known expressions: "Like the last fool", "The last student in the class" and so on.
And now, faced with the question of whether it is the last or the extreme, how to ask correctly, some people, just in case, choose a more decent, in their opinion, option.
Similar misconceptions
In common parlance, the verb “eat” is widespread, which is not a literary one. And, therefore, a literate person should use in his speech to designate the process of eating only the verb "is". But either because of its rougher sounding, or due to some other not entirely clear reasons, this verb is often preferred to the verb "eat" from You can also mention as another example the use of the word "sit down" instead of "sit down" ... In this case, there is an incorrect use of the verb. After all, "sit down" means literally: to sit not completely, on the edge, or for a short time. The verb “to sit down” is avoided because of its use in the criminal environment in the meaning of “to get to a place of detention”. Of course, not everyone who does this is related to the underworld. But, as you can see, due to the well-known historical events of the first half of the last century and others, the fear of imprisonment is imprinted in each of our compatriots at the subconscious level.
When do you need to say extreme
But life doesn't just consist of queues. This means that the question of how correct, the last or the extreme, in some cases can be answered: the extreme. It remains to find out in what cases?
Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary gives three meanings of the word "extreme":
1. Located on the edge. The most remote.
For example, the extreme areas of the Zapolyarny Krai, the extreme points of a straight line.
2. Ultimate.
For example, the deadline for debt repayment.
3. Extraordinary.
For example, extreme measures.
Accordingly, if a student needs to be asked by what date his academic debt should be paid off, then he can structure his question in this way: "What is the deadline for submission?" If it is worth emphasizing the importance of any problem raised in the report, then we can say that this issue is extremely important. In football, a striker on the left or right side is called the winger.
Conclusion
As can be seen from all that has been said above, there is no definite answer to the question of how to speak correctly, extreme or last. It all depends on the situation where these words are used, as well as on the environment in which these words can be used. If you need to take a queue for an appointment with a doctor, then in this situation the answer to the question of whether the last or the last is correct, the answer will be unambiguous - the last.
As strange as it sounds to some people. If you are in doubt about the right end day or the last day of the year, then choose the last option. An exception can be made if you communicate with a diver. Traditions are traditions, and sometimes it is inappropriate to break them. But, in this case, you will communicate in professional slang. You can call the remote corners of our country extreme.
Many people are confused and do not know how to correctly say the words "extreme" or "last". How should you pronounce them correctly? What is the difference? Let's talk about this in this article.
Last or Last: What's the Difference?
During the reign of the Soviets, queues became widespread; in order to buy that other product, it was necessary to defend for several hours or even days if the goods were imported and expensive. Naturally, the most pressing question was who to take the queue for. Many people are interested - who is the extreme? But what is the right question to ask? Indeed, in our time, queues exist in many places: in a hospital, in government agencies, in the police and other places. Often asked: who is the extreme? And nobody is confused by such a wording of the question.
But the queue has two edges, so it turns out that there are two extreme people. But the wording "who is the last?" implies one person, so this is how the question should be asked.
Correct phrases
In the explanatory dictionary Ozhegov there are several designations for the word "extreme":
- Remote. Example: the outermost village on the outermost island.
- Ultimate. Loan repayment deadline or last resort.
- Emergency is a last resort.
It turns out that if a student needs to clarify when to take an exam, then he needs to ask - when is the deadline or date? When voicing a problem, to emphasize its importance, it is permissible to use a phrase - it is extremely important.
As for the word last , then just with the help of it you need to ask about the queue. The latter means the final.
For instance:
- Latest issue of the newspaper.
- Last exam.
- The last bun.
- The last person in line.
This word does not carry any negative energy and secret meaning, therefore, it is impossible to somehow offend or humiliate a person, addressing this way.
The latter also means sequence in a row, that is, order. Therefore, it is logical and correct to use it in relation to something that implies some kind of consistency. But the word "extreme" in these cases is inappropriate. It is not synonymous.
You can use the word "extreme" only when talking about what has edges:
- The extreme point of the earth, country.
- The edge of the table.
- There are two extreme people in the picture: right and left.
It would never occur to anyone to answer the question: which compartment or carriage are you in? - in the extreme. Because the person will begin to clarify - from which end of the composition? Therefore, turning in line, you need to ask - who is the last?
Why do they say the last, and not the last?
Subconsciously human connects the word "last" with something negative: last day of life, last working day. This is especially true for people with dangerous professions (pilots, testers, astronauts, miners). Therefore, they use the phrase "who is extreme?" In order not to offend a person, not to seem tactless and impolite.
Superstitious people are so afraid to pronounce this word that they are ready to distort sentences with such statements as "last time" or in the last turn. The paratroopers are especially afraid to pronounce the word "last", since their parachute jump cannot be the last, it can only be "extreme."
In common parlance, "last" means: narrow-minded, backward, worthless. Everyone has heard the expression - the last fool. This negative meaning is reflected in the perception of many people, so many say - who is extreme, so as not to offend the other.
However, the word "extreme" has a different meaning among the people, for example, a person who is guilty of something becomes extreme in a given situation, that is, the worst.
Similar errors in speech
The mistake of using the words "last" and "last" can be compared to the other two "sit down" and "sit down." The guest is often told to "sit down" on a chair. This is due to black humor, many answer that they are "sitting" in prison, but in life you need to "sit down". This is supported by the famous phrase from the film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession": I always have time to sit down, I'd better sit down. Therefore, it is widely believed that "to sit down" is a criminal lexicon. How is it correct?
Sitting down means bending your knees, taking a certain position and standing up or sitting down again, but not for long. Something like gymnastics. Therefore, when a person is told “sit down,” it literally means doing an exercise - bending the speakers and straightening back. Correctly use a word, for example: squat down.
The word "sit" means to sit on the hard surface of a chair, bench, ground, and so on. Therefore, the guest needs to be told - sit down.
Many consider it uncivilized to use the word “finished”. Expressions are often used: graduated from university or school. Although it is necessary to say: finished school. There are a lot of such examples: the words have become vulgar: nipple, end, suck. Many philologists associate this problem with the fact that when the sexual collapsed brought the subtext of many familiar and harmless expressions to the masses. Unfortunately, the trend continues to this day.
Similar errors in speech are also associated with the hierarchy of society, for example:
- The management and the director are not late, they are late.
- The bosses do not sleep, but rest.
Language culture
Language is a national wealth. The Russian language is considered one of the most difficult and beautiful at the same time. It contains a lot of synonyms, antonyms, epithets and comparisons. One and the same word can have several meanings, different spellings depending on the sentence.
But in order to preserve the language, it is necessary to correctly express and teach this to children. After all, the culture of communication begins in the family. It is logical that if the parents constantly say "he is extreme", then the child will use this word instead of the necessary "last".
If everyone at home “sit down” and not “sit down”, then the children will also offer guests to sit in the wrong wording. The same applies to the subtext of many expressions.
The guarantee of a healthy society, culture and the preservation of the national value - language, correct speech.
So, in order to correctly ask the question with regards to the order - you need to say "who is the last?" And, in the case of remoteness - "extreme line" or "edge of the city, outskirts." There is no need to be afraid of offending a person in this way, these are all superstitions and prejudices.
Video: why do they say "extreme" instead of "last"?
In this video, Denis Kosyakov very clearly explains how and in what situation it is correct to say:
From the question received by the "Information Bureau" of GRAMOTY.RU:"... I was sharply corrected when I asked" who is the last "(in the queue), they said that in Russian it is not customary to say that, but you need" who is extreme. "
In fact:Quite the opposite is true. It is wrong to ask in the queue "who is the last one?" (you need "who is the last?"); it is not worth, inviting the guest to sit down, say “sit down” (competently “sit down”).
We have not accidentally combined these two myths into one: replacement and laston extremeand sit downon sit downdue to the same factor. How? More on this below.
Let's start with the expression "who is last." The myth of the inadmissibility of its use has a long history. Half a century ago, L. V. Uspensky drew attention to this prejudice in his book "The Word about Words":
Thousands of people say: “Who is the extreme here?”, Going up to the queue for the newspapers ... This use of words cannot be recognized as correct and literary. If the question: "What car are you traveling in?" you will answer: "In the extreme!", you will immediately be asked to explain: from the beginning or from the end of the train, in the first or in the last? Each row of objects has at least two edges, and the word "extreme" began to be used here due to an absurd misunderstanding, for the usual word "last" in some dialects of folk speech is given a disapproving meaning - "bad", "worthless": "You are the last one , my brother, man! " (Uspensky L. V. Word about words. You and your name. L., 1962. S. 210).
The reason for using the adjective in the expression in question extreme instead lastnamed L.V. Uspensky quite rightly. Indeed, the word last there is a negative connotation meaning "the lowest of the kind, the most insignificant of all; very bad": the last villain, like the last fool, to scold with the last words.Fearing to call the person last in line, the speaker avoids a hint of this very meaning.
But the word last, like many other words of the Russian language, polysemantic, among its meanings are those that do not have any negative connotations: "the newest"; "modern"; "just appeared": latest technology, latest news, build with the latest technologyand so on. Nevertheless, even today, as well as half a century ago (despite the fact that there are fewer queues), the myth about the inadmissibility of the question "who is the last?" continues to be surprisingly resilient. An interesting fact: after all, the word extreme also has a negative connotation; in lively colloquial and publicistic speech, this adjective is sometimes used in the sense of ‘a person who has been blamed for something bad’: made the last official who signed the document(gas.). Still addicting extreme instead lastthis does not interfere: apparently calling a person “guilty without guilt” seems to be a lesser evil than calling him “worse”.
For one more reason why the question "who is the extreme?" may be more offensive than "who is the last?", V.V. Kolesov points out:
“Standing in line, a person greets those who will be his neighbor for some time ... True, a respectful wish for health in this case is not entirely appropriate, and therefore the following combination arose:“ Are you the last one? Who is last?" It is not clear why it can offend someone, after all, asking: "Who is the last?" - the person wants to know on the trail whom he has to go through. And rightly so, this expression retains the original meaning of the wordlast - the one who follows the trail, the one who makes the path following him, or the one who himself follows others .... On the contrary, asking: "Who is the last?" - you offend a person, because, firstly, you do not speak Russian (in Russian there is no such meaning of the wordextreme : it came from Ukrainian), and secondly, you sort of remove him from the queue, assuring him that he is “on the edge”, away from the line and therefore generally violates order. He who believes the wordextreme polite thanlast , is wrong. " (See: V.V. Kolesov. Culture of speech - culture of behavior. L., 1988. S. 234-235).
However, it is not always the unjustified use of the word extremeinstead lastassociated with the fear of offending a person, calling him "the worst." A similar substitution occurs in many other contexts (which have no relation to the queue), where it is caused by the desire to isolate itself not from the meaning of "worst", but from the main meaning of the adjective last -"not followed, not expected to be like that."
It is well known that the use of the word last are avoided by native speakers whose profession is associated with a constant risk to life. These are pilots and cosmonauts, divers and climbers, circus performers, etc. - the number of such professions is large, although the use of extremeinstead lastaerospace “belonging” was fixed: in the “Big Dictionary of Russian Jargon” by V.M. Mokienko and T.G. Nikitina the word extrememeaning ‘last’ is accompanied by marks avia., cosm.1 But from the speech of people who, risking their lives, perform their professional duties (and whose desire to avoid the ambiguity of combinations last flight, last jumpetc. is understandable and understandable), expressions like last timeinstead last time, last day instead the last dayand so on. if they have not yet entered into widespread use, they are actively striving for this. A similar ubiquitous adjective change lastadjective extreme- nothing more than a gross violation of the norms of the Russian language.
However, let us return to the question "who is the last?", Or rather to the prejudice that prevents its use. The same considerations - the fear of offending a person with a word that in one or more meanings has a negative connotation - causes another common mistake. It's about replacing the verb sit down(imperfect species sit down) verb sit down(imperfect species sit down), primarily in the imperative mood. Many native speakers prefer to speak sit downinstead sit downbecause the word sit down allegedly connected exclusively with prison associations (one of the meanings of the verb "sit down" is ‘to go to prison by a court sentence’).
This myth is supported by the well-known phrase "I always have time to sit down" from the feature film by L. Gaidai "Ivan Vasilyevich is changing his profession", which has long become winged. But after all, the character of the film who utters this remark (in response to an offer to sit down for a doctoral dissertation) is a thief "with experience." Why are office workers today afraid to speak sit down to their guests, do they really assume that they all have a criminal past or a present?
Use problem sit downinstead sit downgoes beyond the scope of a conversation about language, not only linguists, but also publicists pay attention to it. E. Barabash writes:
“The lack of freedom rooted at the level of genes dictates its own rules to the language ... The disgusting“ sit down ”instead of the normal“ sit down ”is now forever. A country that has shown such a remarkable, enviably inextricable bond between politics and crime, elite and crime, television and crime, life and crime, cannot afford to say “sit down”(E. Barabash. On a typewriter to the bright future).
But consider the form sit downfrom the point of view of a linguist. In the "Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language" by S. I. Ozhegov and N. Yu. Shvedova the verb sit downis explained as follows: 'bending the knee, go down': to squat, 'Sit down for a short time or in an insufficiently comfortable, calm position': sit on the edge of a chair(after all, the prefix at-indicates incomplete action). Speaking sit down, we thus offer the guest either to perform a gymnastic exercise, to bend his knees (such an offer is quite appropriate in the gym, but not in the reception of a reputable company), or to sit down for a short time (which the guest may well regard as a hint: he was offered a short time sit down, and then get up and leave as soon as possible). But in any case, neither one nor the other offer implies an invitation to sit comfortably in a chair or in an armchair.
"Falsely understood politeness" refers to word usage sit down O. I. Severskaya:
“... They seem to warn me that I'm here for a short time ... And then why should I" sit down ", perching on the edge of a chair? Why don't I sit down more comfortably and in detail of the person to whom I came on business, to ask me about everything that interests me? So, from my point of view, "sit down, please" - this is to some extent the same notorious "there are many of you, but I am alone." And from the point of view of clerks - the most polite treatment "(Severskaya O. We speak Russian with Olga Severskaya. M., 2004. S. 16).
Thus, the "polite" substitution for the verb sit downverb sit down, and adjective lastadjective extremefraught with even greater ambiguity and may well offend the interlocutor. So let's remember elementary truth number 6.
Alphabet truth number 6.Going to the line at the cashier or to the doctor in the clinic, competently ask people: who is last?When inviting a guest to take a sitting position, politely say: sit down please. And "who is the last one?" and “sit down” is wrong.
V. M. Pakhomov,
Candidate of Philology,
chief editor of the portal GRAMOTA.RU
1 However, one cannot say that the replacement laston extreme typical for the speech of all, without exception, representatives of these professions. On the internet forum dedicated to aviation, one can find another opinion: “I grew up in a family more than closely related to aviation. I talked a lot and communicate with the pilots, both at work and just in friendship. Not once in my 39 years have I heard from them in a conversation last time! But young people ... constantly emphasize this phrase, even inserting this phrase into absolutely civil situations ... "(user Son of the Commander).
The words "extreme" instead of "last". It will be necessary to leave it in the annals of the journal, tk. I also actively use the magic function of the language, and I plan to do so in the future. Now I will just link to this post :)
2. EXTREME
Examples: last cucumber in the bank, last day before paycheck, last vacation
Classics of the genre! We do not touch the foreskin. The words of the song "You will know that in vain they call the North the extreme!" - also. It's sacred. But what kind of extreme sex can be or a sip, for example? It is used, of course, not in the meaning of "on the edge", but in the meaning of "the last" (ideally, the one that follows the trail). This word organically merged medieval suspiciousness, superstition and a desire to screw something like that into the speech. Verbal show-off, in other words.
The expression came from dangerous professions, where such a word traditionally guarantees a return home. Aviators, submariners, sappers - for them this is professional slang. There is even an airfield "Extreme" at "Baikonur". At first, people from the pseudo-aviation party began to indulge in the "extreme" ones (amateur parachutists with "extreme jumps", simmers - virtual pilots, and others). Then the baton passed to the actors, who in each interview have, if not an extreme change, then an extreme role. As if everyone had gathered for the next world! The collective insanity reached such proportions that in 2013, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev intervened: “Request to the university, explain to them that the word“ extreme ”in Russian has a completely different meaning. Don't be afraid of the word "last." Some strange philological tendency has started in our country. All are only extreme. The latter are normal. "
Kara-Murza: “The case when we observe a rare magical function of language. This is a general linguistic word, which in certain social groups is perceived as a kind of dangerous spell. We can say that this is a local norm. When people discuss or use this word, they mean a highly specialized meaning. This word acquired a specific connotation, began to spread more widely, and the people picked it up because of their superstition and fearfulness. Maybe it's kind of a new metaphor. Transfer of danger from object to object».
Sharonov: “This word came back into use in the meaning of“ last ”for the second time. It appeared in the 60s and then experienced strong opposition from cultural bearers. Many Soviet manuals and broadcasts emphasized that such a use was wrong. The word embedding process was stopped. And now, since the 2000s, this word has unexpectedly returned. It is believed that it is South Russian, Ukrainian in origin. Passed into the language of aviators as a euphemism, so as not to use the word last, because it is associated with death. The popularity of this word is growing, but the norm should counteract it. "
PS. There are many more words that are understood - "like", "bright man", "I heard you", Anglo-Surgical and so on.