Can i replace "as" with "who"?
***** NOT A TEACHER *****
Hello, Commadela:
I have done some more research, and I am now 99.99% confident in saying that the answer is:
NO.
1. A world-famous scholar cites this sentence: "He was
such a listener
as most musicians would be glad to welcome."
a. That sentence seems to me to be similar to yours: "David was
such a good student
as all teachers would be glad to teach."
2. Please look at these sentences from another book:
a. "This seminar is designed for
such physicans
who plan to study [name of subject]."
b. The club's Grounds Committee objects to
such playing conditions
which exist in the farthest greens."
c. Horace will render
such assistance
that the circumstances allow."
The book says that "who," "which," and "that" should be replaced by
as in those sentences.
James
First source: Otto Jespersen,
Essentials of English Grammar (1933).
Second source: Morton S. Freeman,
A Treasury for Word Lovers (1983).
*****
This is only my OPINION: If I understand my books correctly, the construction (type of sentence)
such ... as is either formal or archaic [old-fashioned]. In other words, it is not the kind of construction that most people would use in ordinary conversation nowadays. For example, if I wanted to express the idea in your sentence, I would probably say something like:
David is the kind of student all teachers would like to have.
David is the kind of student whom all teachers would like to have.
David is the kind of student who all teachers would like to have. ["Who" is a violation of traditional rules.]
David is the kind of student that all teachers would like to have. [Some people actually prefer "that," for the sentence refers to a "kind."]