One of a kind
“One of a kind”
“One of a kind” is a very popular expression that you can use to describe something or someone that is unique . This expression means exactly what it says: one of a kind. There’s nobody and nothing else like it.
This is often an opinion. If you describe something as one of a kind, you’re saying what you think. You’re saying something is unique and special, in your opinion.
The U.S. has a lot of national parks . They are all great and beautiful and unique in their own way. But many of the national parks include mountains, trees, lakes , rivers—the classic things you think about when you think about nature. Other parks include canyons and rock formations . Several are deserts . They’re all amazing. But you can put many of them into some broad categories . Mountain, forest, desert, cave, rock formations, seashore —those categories cover most of the national parks.
But I think—and this is my opinion—but I think Yellowstone National Park is one of a kind. No other park is like it. It doesn’t fit into one of the big categories. Why do I think it’s one of a kind? Why do I say it’s unique, so much different from other parks?
There’s a geyser called “Old Faithful.” It shoots water up about 40 meters into the air on a very predictable schedule : every 45 to 120 minutes, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, every year. There are hot springs , which are shallow pools of hot water and chemicals . They’re bright blue and yellow and orange and red and copper. They smell like sulfur . There’s vapor hovering over them .
You can’t see this stuff in other places. That’s what makes Yellowstone one of a kind. It has beautiful mountains. But you can see mountains elsewhere . It has a huge canyon. But you can see canyons in other places, too. Lakes, bison , rivers, elk —it’s all great, but you can see those things in other places.
It’s the geothermal features that make Yellowstone one of a kind. That’s what makes it different from all the other national parks, all the other places in the world you can visit. It’s just different from anywhere else you can go . If you don’t believe me that it’s one of a kind, just check out the picture above the transcript of this expression.
You can describe things in the man-made world as “one of a kind” too. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of a kind. This is a seven-story , circular bell tower next to a cathedral in Pisa, Italy. I have been there. What makes this tower one of a kind is its four-degree tilt . It really is leaning to one side . You won’t find any other bell towers like this. They certainly don’t build towers like this today! This is one of a kind. It’s unique in the world.
Art can be described as “one of a kind.” Fernando Botero was Colombia’s most famous artist. And he drew figures—people, animals—figures that were oversized . Large. Plump . Fat, even.
If you know Botero’s work, you will always recognize his images and sculptures . He is one of a kind. Nobody else has created people and images the way he did.
Now listen. Remember I said that “one of a kind” is an opinion. Do I know for sure that not one single person in all of human history has painted like Botero? I do not know that for 100% sure. Maybe there are artists whose work somewhat resembles Botero’s work. Maybe, I actually don’t know. But my opinion is that he’s one of a kind. My opinion is that no other painter is like him.
You don’t always use “one of a kind” for something that you like. You don’t have to like Elon Musk to admit that he’s one of a kind. You might be the biggest Musk fan. You might be a Musk hater. But you have to admit: he’s one of a kind. There is nobody else like him.
He’s one of the richest people in the world . He’s the CEO of an electric car company and a social media network. And those are only two of his many businesses. One of his children’s names includes a letter that’s not in the English alphabet.
He is on all kinds of drugs . He wants to colonize Mars . You don’t have to like him. You don’t have to like what he says or does. But you have to admit, he is one of a kind.
See you next time!
JR is one of a kind. He has been our producer for every single episode of Plain English, starting with episode 1 back in 2017, and continuing through number seven hundred, today. Every time we hit these round number episodes , I think how lucky I am to have JR on the team—how lucky we all are. There wouldn’t be a Plain English without JR. So, JR, thank you for being our loyal producer for seven hundred episodes, and counting .
And I always think of you all, too, and all the hard work you do. Some of—and this boggles the mind—some of you have listened to all 700 episodes. Others of you, this might be your first day listening.
However long you’ve been with us, thank you for making Plain English part of your life and congratulations on all the great work you’ve been doing. We’ll be back with number 701 on Thursday.
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