"as good a guys"

[Laurence Horn]

At 8:04 PM -0700 5/26/07, Benjamin Barrett wrote:
>Laurence Horn wrote:
>>At 1:07 PM -0700 5/26/07, Benjamin Barrett wrote:
>>
>>>I sent this construction to a friend who responded: as good as any guys. BB
>>>
>>
>>Well, that's close, but the difference between the two possible
>>singular versions
>>
>>He's as good (of) a guy as any I've ever coached.
>>He's as good as any guy I've ever coached.
>>
>>suggests that the substitution doesn't yield a perfect paraphrase.
>>
>I considered that as well, but despite the difference in rhythm, they
>feel syntactically identical with the exception of person. BB
>
Well, they are syntactically distinct, and while I acknowledge
they're semantically close, there's sometimes no cigar:

a. She's as good as any {guy/man} I've ever coached.
b. She's as good (of) a {?guy/#man} as I've ever coached.

(a) is impeccable; all you need is a speaker who has coached players
of both sexes.  (b) is impossible with "man", and OK with "guy" only
for those who can use "guy" sex-neutrally.

LH

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org