as ADJ of a N as

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On Feb 20, 2004, at 10:05 AM, Laurence Horn wrote:

> At 9:52 AM -0800 2/20/04, Arnold M. Zwicky wrote:
>>
>> [some fascinating quick googling on "Deg Adv of a" vs. "Deg Adv a".]
>>
>> this sort of thing quickly gets addictive...
>
> Just encountered in today's N. Y. Times sports section, D2:
>
> "I'm not worried about Barry. Barry's too strong of a person for
> what's he's been through personally and professionally."
>
> -S. F. Giants general manager Brian Sabean, on superstar Barry Bonds
> and the steroid issue

the MWDEU entry begins with citations from various sports figures, and
goes on to jim lehrer, jeff smith (the Frugal Gourmet), ed koch, and
erma bombeck.  it concludes with: "the only stricture on it suggested
by our evidence is that it is a spoken idiom: you will not want to use
it much in writing except of the personal kind."

arnold (zwicky at csli.stanford.edu)