Rinoceronte Posted 14 years ago
Linguistics Studies
Excessive Use of Articles
The following equations will help to understand what article is, as well as will help to destroy the myth that definite article is obligatory before superlative degree of comparison, ordinal numbers, next, last, etc.
one of the most = a most
"..."A most brutal murder," said he...".
Anna Katharine Green, A Strange Disappearance, 1880
one of the next = a next
"...a next day the bell rings...".
Lore Segal, Lucinella, 1976
one of the last = a last
"...He gave him a last look...".
Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier, The Delight Makers, 1890
one of the only = an only
"...an only child to decent parents of no irregular point of view...".
Richard Ford, The Sportswriter, 1986
one of the main = a main
"...They failed to get a right of way over a main highway...".
Edward H. Hempel, Small Plant Management, 1950
one of the first = a first
"...That film was a first cause which led eventually to Craig...".
Samuel Nathaniel Behrman, But for Whom Charlie, 1964
one of the following = a following
"...no driver of a following car would suspect that I was not a Han like himself...".
Philip Francis Nowlan, The Airlords of Han, 1929
one of the best = a best
"...and it was a best seller from the very start...".
Frederic A. Birmingham, "The Infinite Riches of Ben Franklin", 1982
one of the most = a most
"..."A most brutal murder," said he...".
Anna Katharine Green, A Strange Disappearance, 1880
one of the next = a next
"...a next day the bell rings...".
Lore Segal, Lucinella, 1976
one of the last = a last
"...He gave him a last look...".
Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier, The Delight Makers, 1890
one of the only = an only
"...an only child to decent parents of no irregular point of view...".
Richard Ford, The Sportswriter, 1986
one of the main = a main
"...They failed to get a right of way over a main highway...".
Edward H. Hempel, Small Plant Management, 1950
one of the first = a first
"...That film was a first cause which led eventually to Craig...".
Samuel Nathaniel Behrman, But for Whom Charlie, 1964
one of the following = a following
"...no driver of a following car would suspect that I was not a Han like himself...".
Philip Francis Nowlan, The Airlords of Han, 1929
one of the best = a best
"...and it was a best seller from the very start...".
Frederic A. Birmingham, "The Infinite Riches of Ben Franklin", 1982
Top answer
Well, your first one at least is a bogus reference: it is an example of a different definition for 'most' as adverb— 'very': 2. Very: a most impressive piece of writing. I haven't bothered to go through your other examples.
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Well, your first one at least is a bogus reference: it is an example of a different definition for 'most' as adverb— 'very':
2. Very: a most impressive piece of writing.
I haven't bothered to go through your other examples.
2. Very: a most impressive piece of writing.
I haven't bothered to go through your other examples.
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'Most' is always adverb when you use it to form superlative degrees of comparison. There's no bogus. Bogus is to start regarding 'most' something different once you change its article.
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'a most impressive piece of writing' actually equals 'one of the most impressive pieces of writing'. So, what's your point?
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Sorry for disturbing you. It was not supposed to be a "question". It was supposed to be a statement.
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