Date:  Wed, 13 Sep 1995 00:23:29 -0700

From:  Anton Sherwood <dasher[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]NETCOM.COM>

Subject: not much of an answer



Doug Bayer scripsit:

> Do you have a simple explanation for the OF in these

> "how long of a drive" constructions?

> Many speakers object strongly to the intrusive "of."

> Yet to my ear its quite natural. I'd love to learn

> a defense...



How about this: it's the partitive "of" in "a pint of beer"

or the French "des cailloux" (`some pebbles', lit. `of the pebbles').



Not much of an answer, I admit.



--

Nancy Dray says:

>    [...] So, how can we encourage other movie directors and

> TV producers to check this sort of thing (and pay us, too)? [...]



I dunno, but I can think of no end of subjects

on which I wish they would consult *some*body.



Anton Sherwood  *\\*  +1 415 267 0685  *\\*  DASher[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]netcom.com