The superlative degree usually indicates something superior to everything else in respect of some quality, attribute, etc.:  the highest peak, the strongest man, the wealthiest man in the world. Such being the case, how can we say It is one of the tallest buildings or He is one of the brightest students?  -  Sathish Chandra wants to know.

To see the point (or logic) of such expressions, consider the cities London, New York and Tokyo. In the continent of Europe there is no bigger city than London; in the Americas there is no bigger city than New York and in the East, there is no bigger city than Tokyo. We can now form a class of the biggest cities. This will include the cities of London, New York and Tokyo. Since they are all members of the class of ‘biggest cities’, we can say, quite logically, that London is one of the biggest cities in the world (because it is a member of the class of ‘biggest cities’).

We not only isolate one, a unique object, as ‘the most superlative’; we also identify objects as being members of a superlative class. It is the latter way of looking at things which justifies constructions like: Ravi is among the brightest students in the school; Kanchana Ganga is one of the tallest peaks in the Himalayas, the Four-Colour theorem is one of the most intriguing problems in Mathematics (more specifically in Topology). As these examples make clear, the superlative need not be unique.

Naturally in forming this set or class of superlative objects/persons, etc.  we should take care to see that each member selected is, in fact, worthy of being called ‘superlative’.  Bangalore is not on the same scale as London, Tokyo, New York.  So it can’t be included in this set (or class).  So you can’t say:  ‘Bangalore is one of the biggest cities in the world’.

Grammar is an attempt to explicate and understand usage – language as actually used by native speakers. It is something constructed by grammarians. Often, as in the case discussed above, the full range of facts is not taken into account.  So we find in grammar books, especially school grammar books, a partial, even sketchy, account of many facts. What is presented in school grammar under Degrees of Comparison is one example of such partial account of usage.

Even Homer nods

Homer, the author of the Greek epic, The Iliad, is generally considered to be the greatest epic poet of the western world.  Homer was a blind poet who wandered from town to town singing the exploits of the heroes of the Trojan War.  But even this great poem, it appears, is not without some blemishes – dull passages and even some ungrammatical lapses.

The phrase is now used in respect of great writers, who, occasionally, stumble. I am no Homer.  What I write is not literature.  It is just prose, very ordinary prose at that, discussing nothing more exciting than some points of English Grammar and Usage.  I don’t also claim to have any unquestionable mastery over the English language.  And, as for my authority as a grammarian, let me declare, once and for all, that I am no authority.

With these disclaimers let me come to the point on hand. Mr K Sundaram has sent this e-mail. ‘Yes, Sir, Homer does appear to have nodded. In your article published in DH of the 19th July, you have used the phrase ‘can’t possibly.’  It isn’t permissible to use the word ‘possible’ with ‘can’ or ‘can’t’, is it?’

You can say:  ‘It is possible’.  You can also say:  ‘It can be done’.  But you can’t say:  It can be possible’.  Can be possible is an impossible and impermissible predicate on it.

But what I have (in my column dated 19th July) is: ‘Can it [of the tag question] possibly refer to the subject?’  Possibly is not a predicate on it. Possibly is a modifier of refer.  This type of structure is perfectly admissible. Here are some citations from standard dictionaries: Can you possibly lend me 5 Pounds? (Is there any possibility?

Advanced Learner’s1961.)  It can’t possibly succeed (used as an intensifier.  Leech and Svartvik:  A communicative Grammar of English, 1975).  I can’t possibly lend you so much of money/ I will come as soon as I possibly can. / You can’t possibly take all that luggage with you.  –Advanced Learner’s 1989. Cannot possibly refuse – Concise Oxford, 8th ed. 1990.  The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998):  ‘used to emphasize that one feels strongly that something is difficult, surprising, or bewildering:  what can you possibly mean?’

The writer can be contacted at ksyadurajan@yahoo.com

Maxims & Observations of Kay S. Wye.
No matter how confident you are, it is good to approach a problem with some diffidence.