Progressive statives

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 4:04 pm

Is this incorrect in your variant?

"Are you wanting tea, or coffee ...?"

This?

"I'm, really loving this Christmas."

lolwhites · Post by **lolwhites** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 6:15 pm

I've heard the first but would be unlikely to say it myself. As for the second, I'd say it's OK as it means the same as "I'm enjoying..." but best avoided as it evokes the McDonalds marketing slogan "I'm lovin' it!".

drags · Post by **drags** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 6:18 pm

well, statives are rarely used as progressives..it doesn't sound natural..

lolwhites · Post by **lolwhites** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 6:28 pm

I'm not sure about Are you wanting tea or coffee, but I think I've said What I'm wanting to do is... to mean "It what I want to do now but am open to suggestions for a better course of action".

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:50 am

lolwhites wrote:I've heard the first but would be unlikely to say it myself. As for the second, I'd say it's OK as it means the same as "I'm enjoying..." but best avoided as it evokes the McDonalds marketing slogan "I'm lovin' it!".

How about:

Little Donny is resembling his grandfather more and more these days.

The cake's looking done.

JuanTwoThree · Post by **JuanTwoThree** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:02 am

I think with some of these there's the idea of "I can remember when this wasn't true and I can anticipate that it won't be again".

I'm even wondering (!) if there's an idea of "I may be wrong but....."

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 12:24 pm

JuanTwoThree wrote:I think with some of these there's the idea of "I can remember when this wasn't true and I can anticipate that it won't be again".

I'm even wondering (!) if there's an idea of "I may be wrong but....."

I agree, apart from "it won't be again". That is sometimes expressed, but not always.

I'm really enjoying this Christmas.

A reflection/comparison on another/other Christmas/ses that may have not been too good and/or, the speaker didn't expect to enjoy it.

......

As for "I may be wrong but.....", I'd read it that way in such as "the cake is looking done", but we could also express the same meaning with the simple form.

lolwhites · Post by **lolwhites** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:23 pm

How about:

Little Donny is resembling his grandfather more and more these days.

The cake's looking done.

The first suggests to me that it's an ongoing process; Little Donny's appearance is still changing (hence the more and more - I don't think it'd sound good without it)

The second could, I think, also suggest change or maybe a tentativeness (As Juan says, an "I may be wrong" element.

What do you make of Rooney will be wanting to score lots of goals today?

lolwhites · Post by **lolwhites** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:38 pm

More examples of want being used in the progressive:

They too are wanting to hear God's Word through Scripture
She said, `It's Tom O'Connor you'll be wanting," and told us how to find him.

Examples with verbs other than BE:
But Barbara never stopped wanting a different sort of life.
The Tory party is on record as wanting to do something about it
And he kept wanting to go to the loo.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:13 pm

<What do you make of Rooney will be wanting to score lots of goals today?>

It's great and clear! Using the simple tense could create ambiguity there.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:14 pm

She said, `It's Tom O'Connor you'll be wanting," and told us how to find him.

Irish English.