Thread: Where has an A come from?

'I must confess that I think her as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print'
Jane Austen

I met such a's in some other phrases which have been told by modern people. Is it just formal or a kind of old-fashioned book style?

Thank you!

Originally Posted by Leof

'I must confess that I think her as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print'
Jane Austen

I met such a's in some other phrases which have been told by modern people. Is it just formal or a kind of old-fashioned book style?

Thank you!

It is a norm. "She is just as good a friend to me as he is." etc.

Thank you!

Leof, Grammatical nightmare. "A"= so many things.
Basicaly means "1"

Jane Austen is a bit extreme, just like me watching "Catherine the Great" on PBS. I chat wth some net-pals and never get the full idea.

I wish you the best (translation please?)

er...capecoddah what did you mean under all this?
I don't understand you clearly.

Originally Posted by Leof

er...capecoddah what did you mean under all this?
I don't understand you clearly.

It's ok. We don't understand him either.
Actually I think he's telling you:
a) "a" is sometimes a synonym of the word "one" (e.g. "A man goes to the store." means ONE, SINGLE MAN goes to the store). Really though, I don't think that's at all relevent to the question you asked.

b) Reading Jane Austen is incredibly tedious and difficult. It's not the kind of normal English you would encounter today at all.

c) He wants you translate the phrase "All the best!" (which he just wished you). Something like "Удачи!"

There! Now did I accurately translate you from English to English, Coddah?

Oh, then...now I got it right! Thanks Brml!

If you really want to learn more words and usages, read Nero Wolfe. Even I, a native speaker, learned some English words from it.

Coincidentally, the author of the Nero Wolfe series enjoyed reading Jane Austen, so there are one or two references to her in the books.

I wish you the best

Всего наилучшего!
Удачи!
С наилучшими пожеланиями!

Actually I didn't read Jane Austen in original yet.
I read this book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014025 ... e&n=283155

Originally Posted by Barmaley

Originally Posted by Leof

er...capecoddah what did you mean under all this?
I don't understand you clearly.

It's ok. We don't understand him either.
Actually I think he's telling you:
a) "a" is sometimes a synonym of the word "one" (e.g. "A man goes to the store." means ONE, SINGLE MAN goes to the store). Really though, I don't think that's at all relevent to the question you asked.

b) Reading Jane Austen is incredibly tedious and difficult. It's not the kind of normal English you would encounter today at all.

c) He wants you translate the phrase "All the best!" (which he just wished you). Something like "Удачи!"

There! Now did I accurately translate you from English to English, Coddah?

Well just look at French

A = Un/ Une
1 = Un

Spanish:

A = Un / Una
1 = Uno

Originally Posted by Leof

Actually I didn't read Jane Austen in original yet.
I read this book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014025 ... e&n=283155

Hehe. Cheater!

:P
I am not though - I enjoy her books which were translated in Russian