"many a" -- singular or plural? Or just awkward?

[Joel S. Berson]

At 11/14/2008 12:13 PM, Arnold Zwicky wrote:

>   Chicago is many miles from here.
>     vs. ?Chicago is many a mile from here.

I had had the same feeling as Ann Burlingham; where she used
"metaphorical" I was thinking "poetic".  And to me, in the above
"many a mile" hints weariness in the journey, whereas "many miles"
has no poetry.

Joel

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