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hiromichi
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 1380
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 Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 5:32 am Post subject: We can't afford to make perfect the enemy of the absolutel |
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I understand the structure of the captioned sentence is Subject+Verb+Object+Objective Complement.
One student tells me 'perfect' should be 'the perfect.' I disagree with him and think the sentence is understandable without 'the.'
I like to have your comments.
"Legislation of such magnitude deserves the scrutiny that it's received over
the last month, and it will receive more in the days to come. But we can't
afford to make perfect the enemy of the absolutely necessary. The scale and
scope of this plan is right." (Obama)
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pugachevV
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 2295
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| Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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Yes the sentence is understandable the way it is. I must admit I had to read it twice before I got it, though.
I take it to mean that it is absolutely necessary we do something now. We mustn't waste too much time trying to get it perfect. |
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Bob S.
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 1767
Location: So. Cal
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| Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 1:33 pm Post subject: Re: We can't afford to make perfect the enemy of the absolu |
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| hiromichi wrote: |
One student tells me 'perfect' should be 'the perfect.' I disagree with him and think the sentence is understandable without 'the.'
I like to have your comments.
"Legislation of such magnitude deserves the scrutiny that it's received over
the last month, and it will receive more in the days to come. But we can't
afford to make perfect the enemy of the absolutely necessary. The scale and
scope of this plan is right." (Obama) |
The original expression which Obama is referencing is:
The perfect is the enemy of the good.
So in this case, perfect is used as a noun, and as such, the definite article the refers to a peak level of perfection you aspire to. Obama is tweaking this phrase, so the becomes optional depending on what he means. Without the, he refers to a general level of perfection or near perfection. If he included the, then it would refer to a peak and impossibly high level of perfection.
So you are correct that it is not absolutely necessary (since he is twisting the original expression anyway).
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hiromichi
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 1380
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| Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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Bob S.:
I thank you very much for your very clear answer.
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Hiromichi |
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