Grammar for "my miracle of a girlfriend"?

Question

I find this kinda structure used in literature a lot, but I can't find a way to explain it to a student. Thanks in advance guys

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Don't write "kinda". It's "kind of", even though we pronounce it your way. Besides, "kinda" means "somewhat" in informal dialogue, not "variety of".

That structure is an everyday use of "of". The little words have a million uses.

preposition Def. 8b "used as a function word to indicate apposition // that fool of a husband"

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/of

CalifJim · Answer

anonymous
I find this ~~kinda~~ kind of structure used in literature a lot, but I can't find a way to explain it to a student.
my miracle of a girlfriend

In these expressions the component before 'of' is a description of the component after 'of'. The idea here is that "my girlfriend" is a miracle, i.e., is miraculous. These are mostly metaphorical and hyperbolic, and relatively few of them are in use.

Here are a few other examples:

Tom is a real prince of a man.
My sister was an angel of a child.
What fool of a judge would allow this?

Embedded in these expressions are "a princely man", "an angelic child", and "a foolish judge". Or, "a man who has the qualities of a real prince", "a child who has the qualities of an angel", and "a judge who has the qualities of a fool".

CJ

Grammar for "my miracle of a girlfriend"?

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