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Teo Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
as dead as (dead) could be
Latin is a language
As dead as dead could be.
First it killed the Romans
And now it's killing me.
Quoted from http://www.nzine.co.nz/features/studying_classics.html?Rcat=Culture&Tcat=Education
She was engrossed in her book, but happened to see,
That the man beside her, as bold as could be,
Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag between,
Which she tried to ignore, to avoid a scene.
Quoted from http://www.bible.org/illus.asp?topic_id=843
Can anyone analyze the structure such as "as dead as (dead) could be" & " as bold as (bold) could be"?
Thank you very much for your help.
As dead as dead could be.
First it killed the Romans
And now it's killing me.
Quoted from http://www.nzine.co.nz/features/studying_classics.html?Rcat=Culture&Tcat=Education
She was engrossed in her book, but happened to see,
That the man beside her, as bold as could be,
Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag between,
Which she tried to ignore, to avoid a scene.
Quoted from http://www.bible.org/illus.asp?topic_id=843
Can anyone analyze the structure such as "as dead as (dead) could be" & " as bold as (bold) could be"?
Thank you very much for your help.
Top answer
I'll take a crack at it. Latin is as dead [a language] as dead could be. This one is easier: as dead as could be is a comparative clause modifying the adjective, dead (the first one).
- I'll take a crack at it.
- Latin is as dead [a language] as dead could be.
- This one is easier: as dead as could be is a comparative clause modifying the adjective, dead (the first one).
- The second dead is a personified quality derived from the adjective and acting as subject of the comparative clause.
- The man beside her [is] as bold[ly] [a man] as [bold/man] could be , grabbed a cookie.
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5 Answers
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I'll take a crack at it.
Latin is as dead [a language] as dead could be.
This one is easier: as dead as could be is a comparative clause modifying the adjective, dead (the first one). The second dead is a personified quality derived from the adjective and acting as subject of the comparative clause.
The man beside her [is]
Latin is as dead [a language] as dead could be.
This one is easier: as dead as could be is a comparative clause modifying the adjective, dead (the first one). The second dead is a personified quality derived from the adjective and acting as subject of the comparative clause.
The man beside her [is]
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(Is it possible to say "I'm tired as tired can be"? and the same for the others)
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01 cite 10 Pieanne 12 cite 10 (Is it possible to say "I'm tired as tired can be"? and the same for the others) 12 br10 I think I usually understand such phrases as implying that there are degrees of 01 i 00 tired 02 i 00 -ness, 01 i 00 bold 02 i 01 del
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01 cite 10 Mister Micawber 12 cite 10 with the same ramifications. 12 br10 I like the idea that two interpretations, two different analyses, have the same ramifications. 0-
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