dual as

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On Nov 15, 2006, at 9:45 AM, Ben Zimmer wrote:

> On 11/15/06, Barbara Need <nee1 at midway.uchicago.edu> wrote:
>>
>> Seen on a web announcement for the new Apple iPhone:
>>
>> "Foxconn Electronics, ..., has secured a contract with Apple Computer
>> to manufacturer [sic] its first mobile handset that will also dual as
>> a digital music player, ..."
>>
>> I have done a phrase search in Google, and the only hits have been
>> some technical term dual AS and places where dual and as are
>> separated by punctuation (and/or a clause boundary).
>
> Try searching with modals:
>
> http://google.com/search?q=can|could|will||would-dual-as

i suppose this is just verbing of the adjective.  i do wonder why the
existing verb "double" (which is scarcely obscure) wouldn't have done.

arnold

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