as ADJ of a N as

[Beverly Flanigan]

At 10:46 AM 2/20/2004 -0800, you wrote:
>On Feb 20, 2004, at 10:38 AM, Bethany K. Dumas wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 20 Feb 2004, Beverly Flanigan wrote:
>>
>>>I think Arnold is right about the split in attitudes toward this
>>>usage.  I've never used the "of a" structure and don't like it, but
>>>I've
>>>become more tolerant of it.  Is it possibly age-related?  I don't
>>>recall
>>>being aware of it as a kid, but now I hear it everywhere.
>>
>>I've heard it all my life.
>
>MWDEU's cites go back only to 1942-43.  i suspect this could be
>improved on, but probably  by years rather than decades.
>
>arnold (zwicky at csli.stanford.edu)

Jim Lehrer would fit that age, and maybe regional, profile too; he's 65-ish
and from Texas.