Tanto como / As much... as...

[Alfonso]

In Spanish you can say:

• Me gusta tanto el pan como la leche.
• Fuimos tanto a bailar como a cantar.

... meaning that you do both things, or that you don't exclude either of them. It's a way to emphasise:

• Me gusta el pan y la leche.
• Fuimos a bailar y a cantar.

Would you say the following sentences in English?

• I like bread as well as milk.
• We went to dance as well as to sing

And, the second part of the question is when do you use as much + (...) + as?

Thanks a lot in advance!

[Rusty]

Escrito originalmente por Alfonso

In Spanish you can say:

• Me gusta tanto el pan como la leche.
• Fuimos tanto a bailar como a cantar.

... meaning that you do both things, or that you don't exclude either of them. It's a way to emphasize:

• Me gusta el pan y la leche.
• Fuimos a bailar y a cantar.

Would you say the following sentences in English?

• I like bread as well as milk.
• We went to dance as well as to sing.

And, the second part of the question is when do you use as much + (...) + as?

The first sentence I checked above could also be said:
I like both bread and milk.

The second sentence could also be said:
We went to both dance and sing.

As you stated, these sentences emphasize that both parts must be present. However, most American English speakers would probably just emphasis the word 'and' instead of using the more formal sounding 'both' and 'as well as' phrases. For example,
I like bread AND milk (with my soup).
We went to dance AND sing (at the festival).


To answer the second half of your question, I'll have to defer. I honestly can't think of a case where an 'as much + (...) + as' construction exists in English. You'll see tons of sentences like, "This vacation was as much fun as the one last year," but this is not the construction you're asking about. I'll give this question some more thought.

[Alfonso]

Thanks a lot for your corrections, Rusty!

Escrito originalmente por Rusty

"This vacation was as much fun as the one last year,"

This is an option. I wrote (...) because I wasn't sure what kind of word can fit the structure.


So, I understand you can fill the gap with some nouns. I was thinking if the rule is that these ones are uncountable nouns, like:

• There is as much water as wine / as in the Ocean / as to die of hydropesia.
• You can see as much richness as poorness.
• I like as much beauty as eccentricity.

Contrasting:

• There are as many wolves as rabbits.
• You can see as many cars as bikes.

Are these sentences right?
Thanks a lot!

[Iris]

The WO in one of the sentences is not ok. You would say :I like beauty as much as.... I am unable to make any sense of the last water example you give: Do you mean There is so much water that you could die of...?

[Alfonso]

Yes, it is:
There is so much water that you could die of hydropesia.

So, I guess the example I gave is not correct.
However, you can say, as Rusty stated:
It is as much fun as the last one.


I guess:

• so much ... that...
• as much ... as...

But, when you use each of them? And, what kind of words can fill each gap?

Thanks a lot for your help!

[poli]

Escrito originalmente por Alfonso

Thanks a lot for your corrections, Rusty!



This is an option. I wrote (...) because I wasn't sure what kind of word can fit the structure.






So, I understand you can fill the gap with some nouns. I was thinking if the rule is that these ones are uncountable nouns, like:

• There is as much water as wine / as in the Ocean / as to die of hydropesia.
• You can see as much richness as poorness.It's better to say: You see as much wealth as poverty
• I like as much beauty as eccentricity .It's better to say: I like beauty as much as eccectricity (It's an odd sentence. I sounds like Tennessee Williams wrote it and Blanche DuBois said it in Streetcar Named Desire)

Contrasting:

• There are as many wolves as rabbits.
• You can see as many cars as bikes.

Are these sentences right?
Thanks a lot!

You've got the concept right. There are just a few fine points need some
brushing up. Look at my corrections. Ask if you have questions.

[poli]

Escrito originalmente por Alfonso

Yes, it is:
There is so much water that you could die of hydropesia.Use hyponatremia. Only medical people will understand hyponatremia, but nobody will understand hydropepsia in the States.

So, I guess the example I gave is not correct.
However, you can say, as Rusty stated:
It is as much fun as the last one.



I guess:

• so much ... that...Like tan and que. John drank so much water that he developed hyponatremia and died.
• as much ... as... Like tan and como. John had as much fun as Mary.

But, when you use each of them? And, what kind of words can fill each gap?

Thanks a lot for your help!

I hope this helps

[Alfonso]

Thanks a lot, Poli, for your corrections and suggestions!
I guess I need a rule, and it will be hard to get it.

I think I should consider the phrase as much as apart from the other two structures: as much ... as; so much... that. These last two ones are those I'm most interested in. Let's check some structures:

• I love you as much as you love that other guy.
• I love you so much that I would dance with a mouse all a whole night.

And now, trying to open a gap and filling it with some words:

• I gave you as much love as you brought indifference back to me.
• I felt so much in love that I'm flying without a pilot license.

Thanks a lot for your help!

[poli]

Escrito originalmente por Alfonso

Thanks a lot, Poli, for your corrections and suggestions!
I guess I need a rule, and it will be hard to get it.


I think I should consider the phrase as much as apart from the other two structures: as much ... as; so much... that. These last two ones are those I'm most interested in. Let's check some structures:

• I love you as much as you love that other guy.
• I love you so much that I would dance with a mouse all a whole night.

And now, trying to open a gap and filling it with some words:

• I gave you as much love as you brought indifference back to me.
• I felt so much in love that I'm flying without a pilot license.

Thanks a lot for your help!

You have got it right. When you use the words as much as, think of a scale, because as much as evokes a balance

In so/that, think of the prepositional phrase which intiated with
that as an adverb.

Your sentences have a nice whimsical character that will amuse some and confound others

[Iris]

Escrito originalmente por Alfonso

Thanks a lot, Poli, for your corrections and suggestions!
I guess I need a rule, and it will be hard to get it.

I think I should consider the phrase as much as apart from the other two structures: as much ... as; so much... that. These last two ones are those I'm most interested in. Let's check some structures:

• I love you as much as you love that other guy.
• I love you so much that I would dance with a mouse the whole night/ all night long

And now, trying to open a gap and filling it with some words:

• I gave you as much love as you brought indifference back to me.
• I feel/am so much in love that I'm flying without a pilot license.

Thanks a lot for your help!

Who's the lucky lady?