Thread: сам или самый

In the following phrase one must put сам или самый
Нам навстречу вышел тот же ---- мужчина
I had chosen сам, but the solution given is самый, with whom I disagree, according to "my rules" for using сам and самый. "The same man, in person, got out to meet us".
самый: expresses the superlative or nearness in time or space.
cam: the rest of cases, specially when the subject of action is referred.
Up to now these rules have worked. In the case proposed, it is matter of opinión or really just самый be used? Thank you.

Originally Posted by radomir

"The same man, in person, got out to meet us".

The same man = тот же самый человек

in person = сам, but I would use "лично" here to avoid the usage of words with the same root in one sentence.

So these variants of translaton of this sentence would be apropriate:

Тот же самый человек лично вышел нас встретить.

or

Тот же человек сам вышел нас встретить.

Thank you.

сам = himself, herself, itself
самый = the most
тот же самый = (set expression) the same

Thank you.

Also read these vocabulary lessons dedicated to each or the words:

сам: http://masterrussian.com/vocabulary/sam_myself.htm
самый: http://masterrussian.com/vocabulary/samiy.htm

Thank you.

Originally Posted by MasterAdmin

сам = himself, herself, itself
самый = the most
тот же самый = (set expression) the same

тот самый = (set expression) the very, that very

Thanks. It is clear that here it has a meaning slightly "off-side" the regular meaning of самый (not superlative nor "very close in time or space to").

Originally Posted by radomir

Thanks. It is clear that here it has a meaning slightly "off-side" the regular meaning of самый (not superlative nor "very close in time or space to").

IMHO it is not really off-side. "this very guy" is pretty much the literal translation of "тот самый человек". The fundamental meaning of самый is about precision.

Also (э)тот самый can sometime qualify people in an unpleasant way, as in Терпеть не могу этих самых гостей!

Thank you very much for your accuricies.