Date: Sat, 10 Jan 1998 08:43:48 +0000

From: Duane Campbell dcamp[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]EPIX.NET

Subject: Re: asbestos...?



At 11:04 PM 1/9/98 -0500, you wrote:



I agree that this is probably a syntactic blend of the sort you cite, but

a simpler one. I have to assume that it came of "..as x as.." and "..as

best one can..," which, though a bit victorian sounding, does make perfect

sense (cf. also "as best I am able").



To my ear it makes imperfect sense. I might even describe it as (gulp) wrong.



When using the construction "as blank as", you are inviting comparison

between two things and requiring the use of the comparative adjective or

adverb. The superlative is beyond comparison. So you can do something as

well as you can or you can do it THE best you can. But to say "as best I

can" is as awkward as saying something like, "My car is as best as yours."



Duane Campbell dcamp[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]epix.net

http://www.epix.net/~dcamp/