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Seagull Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

The difference of two similar sentences

Regarding the following two sentences:

(a) Nobody in this country is as famous a football player as he is.
(b) No other football player in this country is as famous as he is.

In writing (a), the writer tried to make a sentence that means the same to (b), but I don't think he nailed it. I think that (a) is unnatural and that the meaning it conveys is a little different from that of (b). But I can't put into words why (a) is not good. Could you please explain this?
  

Top answer

First, you know the obvious way to say this is "He's the most famous football player in the country," right? Or even "There isn't a more famous football player in the country" would be an improvement. The problem with the first is "nobody in the country" includes architects, politicians, teachers, house painters -- and you could hardly expect them to achieve more fame as a football player than people who are already football players.

— BarbaraPA

  • First, you know the obvious way to say this is "He's the most famous football player in the country," right?
  • Or even "There isn't a more famous football player in the country" would be an improvement.
  • The problem with the first is "nobody in the country" includes architects, politicians, teachers, house painters -- and you could hardly expect them to achieve more fame as a football player than people who are already football players.
  • A football player who only two people had ever heard of would still be a more "famous a football player" than someone who had a huge following as a singer, but no reputation as a football player at all.
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2 Answers
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First, you know the obvious way to say this is "He's the most famous football player in the country," right? Or even "There isn't a more famous football player in the country" would be an improvement.

The problem with the first is "nobody in the country" includes architects, politicians, teachers, house painters -- and you could hardly expect them to achieve more fame as a football pla
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Thank you so much, Barbara, for your clear explanation.
That's exactly what I wanted to know. I've really learned a lot.
Thanks again.
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