My tire flattened.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:31 am

Have you ever heard anyone say something like:

"My tire flattened on the way to work."

Do you use "flattened" in an inchoative way?

thethinker · Post by **thethinker** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:14 am

Sounds terrible to me. I'd say "flatten" is always transitive so would need an object. I can't think of any examples of it being used in different contexts as an inchoative verb. It would be grammatically correct to say "The tyre deflated." but it certainly wouldn't be my choice of phrase.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 1:20 pm

thethinker wrote:Sounds terrible to me. I'd say "flatten" is always transitive so would need an object. I can't think of any examples of it being used in different contexts as an inchoative verb. It would be grammatically correct to say "The tyre deflated." but it certainly wouldn't be my choice of phrase.

It does appear though:

"And my tire flattened as I was riding it to work this morning. The leak was slow enough that I could limp to work by pumping it up along the way (not recommended procedure, but tolerable for very short distances.)"

http://www.mememachinego.com/archives/000817.html
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As Ashton hurried past the front of the vehicle, the driver put the car in gear, and it lurched forward. Ashton barely dodged the accelerating vehicle, while simultaneously firing a round intended for the driver, but instead struck the right rear tire. The suspects were able to drive only a short distance before the tire flattened and they were apprehended by Deputies.

http://www.porac.org/ldf/articles/may%209%201997.html
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Jedrzejek’s day came to a grinding halt on lap thirty when the left rear tire flattened at speed on the backchute. Timmy J’s machine spun around backwards smacking the wall with a tremendous amount of force sending him sliding all the way to turn four. Jedrzejek was transported to the hospital with broken ribs, concussion and a bruised lung. During the red Jon Henes and Doug Saunier both pitted and returned to the tail of the field.

http://www.tjslideways.com//modules.php ... le&sid=352

thethinker · Post by **thethinker** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 4:15 pm

True, but I think you can find examples of almost anything on the internet, even from native speakers, e.g. "He was stood over there, waiting.", "What would of happened" etc. Doesn't mean that it should be considered a form of standard English.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 7:36 pm

thethinker wrote:True, but I think you can find examples of almost anything on the internet, even from native speakers, e.g. "He was stood over there, waiting.", "What would of happened" etc. Doesn't mean that it should be considered a form of standard English.

< Doesn't mean that it should be considered a form of standard English.>

Who mentioned standard English before this point? Not me.

thethinker · Post by **thethinker** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 8:28 pm

Fair enough!

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:44 pm

thethinker wrote:Fair enough!

Well taken.

ssean · Post by **ssean** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:07 pm

sounds okay to me in a sporting context