Korean Job Discussion Forums

[agoodmouse]

An inspiring invention by a British student is being hailed as the answer to all parents' concerns about their increase obese children.


1. inspiring ---> inspired

The Korean book I'm looking at right now says number 1 is wrong. But I don't know why logically. Can someone explain to me why?

2. increase ---> increasing(ly)

Number 2 can be both, the book says, although I feel a little strange saying "increasing." Why is 'increasing' okay?

[jadarite]

The question is, what is DOING the inspiring?

If the invention inspired people, then it is doing the action.
If the invention was created because someone was inspired prior to the invention, then you could call it an inspired invention.

However, it's much more likely that the invention has inspired people.

Try looking at the word "surprised" also.

For number 2, the only way I can make sense of it is that they might mean an increasing NUMBER of ____.

[fancypants]

participial adjectives:

http://www.iei.uiuc.edu/structure/Structure1/partadjs.html

[theatrelily]

Just my two cents worth, but..

If the invention is inspiring, it is sparking the inspiration in other people.

If the invention is inspired, the invention itself is the result of inspiration from another source.



As for the increase-->increasing(ly) question:

I am not quite sure why "increase" works in the sentence because it seems to be functioning as an awkward adjective...and I have no explanation for why that is ok (if someone can enlighten me, I'd be thankful...because as it is now, it seems wrong - it wouldn't be the first time that a text in Korea is erroneous...)

I would say that increasing(ly) works because it denotes that either the obese children or the number of obese children are in a continuing state of increase.

[fancypants]

"Increasingly" is correct. It is an adverb that is modifying the adjective "obese". Was the text Korean? Just curious.