Home » Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

Discussion Forum (Archived)

Please consider registering
Guest
Forum Scope


Match



Forum Options



Min search length: 3 characters / Max search length: 84 characters
The forums are currently locked and only available for read only access
sp_TopicIcon
grammar diagnosis: "Not that good of a term"
Guest
21
2014/08/12 - 10:39pm

Robert said
Hi Anna. The 'as' means that the statement is part of a larger discussion that involves  other things, ideas, etc. of the same kind.  If there is no such context, 'as' makes no sense at all.

Hi Robert,

Thank you :) Sorry for getting back more then a month later :)

Guest
22
2014/08/12 - 10:42pm

Robert said
Hi Anna. The 'as' means that the statement is part of a larger discussion that involves  other things, ideas, etc. of the same kind.  If there is no such context, 'as' makes no sense at all.

Robert,

If it is not too time-consuming for you, could you, please, post a link or a short example of this type of context? I would be grateful for your help.

Thank you! 

Robert
553 Posts
(Offline)
23
2014/08/13 - 10:43am

This is an example of how a single 'as' can come out of the blue and make perfect sense: it is a news headline that goes:

BPA-Free Plastic Containers May Be Just as Hazardous.

In this case the context instantly forms in mind: we all know the 'as' is used in the context of comparing the impacts on human health by the different kinds of plastic.  In general, I think that the existence of contexts that justify expressions like that (and like the examples of your post), should be obvious enough.

Now I would be very daft not to hear the  yet unspoken point of your post,  which  is:  No, Robert,  I know of people saying 'Green is as becoming a color,'  and there are no contexts that can explain it at all- what's with that?

From my previous post, my answer to that would have been, if that's true, then the 'as' in there is just senseless.  But now looking back I would like to modify that position if only slightly, to say that it could be a form of false sophistication, by which your example above is just a way of saying 'Green is such a becoming color.'  (And I might speculate again that that be well along the direction you are going with  your posts.)

Guest
24
2015/01/12 - 10:36am

The construction    'It is good of her to remember'   seems standard enough, as well the 'of' indispensable in this case.  Does that somewhat help the case for the  'of' in    ' that/as good of a...'  ?    I feel like it should.

deaconB
744 Posts
(Offline)
25
2015/01/13 - 12:17am

I consider the misuse of "of" to be a serious matter.  You'll see kids (in their forties) writing "It must of been Bob who stole the liquor."

The words of and have are similar in sound, which means it doesn't "sound wrong" to people unless they are sensitized to the issue.  I'd think it would be less of an problem if people were aware it was happening.  I don't think awareness would get people to say less an error rather than less of an error. 

Guest
26
2015/01/22 - 5:14am

Here's another kind of 'of'  still:

Who's that you're talking about ?
A Russian bloke, name of Polkov.
A Russian bloke named of Polkov.

This one says the name is new information, and one of some intrigue.

Are there still many other kinds ?

Forum Timezone: UTC -7
Show Stats
Administrators:
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Moderators:
Grant Barrett
Top Posters:
Newest Members:
A Conversation with Dr Astein Osei
Forum Stats:
Groups: 1
Forums: 1
Topics: 3647
Posts: 18912

 

Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 618
Members: 1268
Moderators: 1
Admins: 2
Most Users Ever Online: 1147
Currently Online:
Guest(s) 65
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)

Recent posts