Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Where has an A come from?

  1. #1
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Moscow,50 feet above the ground
    Posts
    4,106
    Rep Power
    17

    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!
    Я так думаю.

  2. #2
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mowcow, Russia
    Posts
    1,957
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: Where has an A come from?

    Quote 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.

  3. #3
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Moscow,50 feet above the ground
    Posts
    4,106
    Rep Power
    17
    Thank you!
    Я так думаю.

  4. #4
    Почтенный гражданин capecoddah's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Cape Cod, MA пляж
    Posts
    648
    Rep Power
    13
    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?)
    I'm easily amused late at night...

  5. #5
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Moscow,50 feet above the ground
    Posts
    4,106
    Rep Power
    17
    er...capecoddah what did you mean under all this?
    I don't understand you clearly.
    Я так думаю.

  6. #6
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Serving Polonium-flavoured Sake at a London Japanese Restaurant
    Posts
    2,662
    Rep Power
    15
    Quote 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?
    Заранее благодарю всех за исправление ошибок в моём русском.

  7. #7
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Moscow,50 feet above the ground
    Posts
    4,106
    Rep Power
    17
    Oh, then...now I got it right! Thanks Brml!
    Я так думаю.

  8. #8
    DDL
    DDL is offline
    Увлечённый спикер
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    66
    Rep Power
    13
    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.
    "You lost today kid, but that doesn't mean you have to like it." -- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

    "We have found the enemy; and they are us." -- Airwolf.

  9. #9
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Almaty (former Alma-Ata), Kazakhstan
    Posts
    920
    Rep Power
    13
    I wish you the best

    Всего наилучшего!
    Удачи!
    С наилучшими пожеланиями!
    Please correct my mistakes if you can, especially article usage.
    My avatar shall be the author I'm currently reading.

  10. #10
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Moscow,50 feet above the ground
    Posts
    4,106
    Rep Power
    17
    Actually I didn't read Jane Austen in original yet.
    I read this book:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014025 ... e&n=283155
    Я так думаю.

  11. #11
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Seventh
    Posts
    4,113
    Rep Power
    18
    Quote Originally Posted by Barmaley
    Quote 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
    Ingenting kan stoppa mig
    In Post-Soviet Russia internet porn downloads YOU!

  12. #12
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Serving Polonium-flavoured Sake at a London Japanese Restaurant
    Posts
    2,662
    Rep Power
    15
    Quote 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!
    Заранее благодарю всех за исправление ошибок в моём русском.

  13. #13
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Moscow,50 feet above the ground
    Posts
    4,106
    Rep Power
    17
    :P
    I am not though - I enjoy her books which were translated in Russian
    Я так думаю.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


Russian Lessons                           

Russian Tests and Quizzes            

Russian Vocabulary