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She possesses many other qualities prized by the superficial man.

My understanding is—whoever says it, doesn't refer to himself by the superficial man. The superficial man is some hypothetical person that represents all superficial men in the society. In the same fashion you say "The activities associated with the common man."

There are three ways to say this:

She possesses many other qualities prized by the superficial man.

She possesses many other qualities prized by a superficial man.

She possesses many other qualities prized by superficial men.

Are any of these sentences incorrect? Why is the first one preferable?

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Yes you are correct. It is a reflection of HER qualities. They are prized by men who are superficial.

The superficial man is a collective title like Homo Erectus, hence a superficial man or superficial men are not giving the same effect.

He is a drinking man has the same idiomatic feeling to it

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  • It's a definite generic noun phrase.
    – John Lawler
    Commented Jul 17, 2013 at 14:22
  • Does look like it on the surface, but what would "a drinking man" then be? "The drinking man" sounds strange
    – mplungjan
    Commented Jul 17, 2013 at 14:35
  • A man who drinks. The drinking man will appreciate this scotch; so will drinking men in general. And it's even true that a drinking man would appreciate this scotch, because it's a criterial scotch; if he doesn't, he isn't what I call a drinking man. The generalizations, you see, are always vague and impressional, which is usually what's desired.
    – John Lawler
    Commented Jul 17, 2013 at 14:48
  • I mean the term "a drinking man" like "a loose woman"
    – mplungjan
    Commented Jul 17, 2013 at 14:52
  • Might be. Depends on the speaker's feelings. Or it might be a term of respect. Or nostalgia. Or anything. Like I said, it's vague.
    – John Lawler
    Commented Jul 17, 2013 at 15:40

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