End of ADS-L Digest - 8 Dec 1993 to 9 Dec 1993 ********************************************** There are 2 messages totalling 35 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. some U.S. "Midland" regionalisms 2. some U.S. "Midland" regional ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 11 Dec 1993 15:50:01 CST From: "Donald M. Lance" Subject: Re: some U.S. "Midland" regionalisms I'm thinking that, rather than Sali's suggestion of 'transient duration', the feature that gives us seemingly unexpected progressives of stative verbs is a feature that might -- and I'm hoping you'll agree, as I'm trusting my intuitions and judgments and believing, at least for now, that what I'm liking about my decision and feeling about it is perhaps sorta on a right track -- be called 'tentativity'. I'm always hating myself after I breach my coccoon of personal tentativity and propose an idea that others seem to be loving to shoot down. Many of the progressive statives are of 'transient duration' as Sali suggests, such as 'Carla is feeling wonderful'. The tentativity feature suggested here may play a part in what I suggested earlier as a politness feature in 'Are you wanting to make an appointment?' Any reactions? DMLance