Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 14:01:37 +0000

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

Subject: Re: "is is" (formerly "as best as")



At 01:28 PM 7/25/97 -0400, you wrote:



"The problem is is there are too many sheepdogs on the board of directors."



I have no problem with this, as long as the punctuation is right. "The

problem is: Is you is or is you ain't my baby."



What the reason the "as best as" thing reminded me of this is is (whew)

that I suspect "as best as" is similarly based on analogy from "to do x as

best one can/could/etc." (without the second "as").



But my complaint about this construction is the FIRST as. One does THE best

one can or as WELL as one can.





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

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