Understanding/understand

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tommyensr

#73630 Sun, 13 Feb 05 10:26 AM

I'm understanding/I understand biology a lot better now that we're got a new teacher.

which one?

thanks

tommyensr

Joined on Mon, Dec 27 2004

thailand

Full Member (121)

Casi

#73641 Sun, 13 Feb 05 11:32 AM

I understand biology. . . .

Most stative verbs, like see, hear, and so on, didn't always have a continuous form, but over the ages, things have changed and today we have:

I hear
I am hearing what you're saying.

I see
I am seeing her.

And the up and coming, *"I'm understanding it", which is still unacceptable, but is nonetheless out there, looking for entrance just the same.

Casi

Joined on Sat, Sep 25 2004

Regular Member (547)

just the truth

#73657 Sun, 13 Feb 05 01:47 PM

I'm understanding/I understand biology a lot better now that we're got a new teacher.

The way to illustrate this progressive 'understanding' is to use another verb in conjunction with the stative one.

I'm starting/beginning to understand biology better now that ...

just the truth

Joined on Mon, Dec 27 2004

Regular Member (849)

Verbs

Casi

#73676 Sun, 13 Feb 05 02:30 PM

The way we ENLs often illustrate

Could you define your terms, please. Also, why not choose terms that express inclusivity rather than those expressing exclusivity?

Try,

The way to illustrate. . . .

All the best, JTT

Casi

CalifJim

#73712 Sun, 13 Feb 05 09:53 PM

Whichever one you mean, of course!

If you understand biology (the whole field of biology as a unit, the grand plan of biological theory, how it all fits together and makes sense), say "I understand ..."

If you are understanding individual lessons the teacher gives, one after another, having more successful experiences in comprehending what you read in each chapter in your biology text, generally having more "Aha!" moments, then say "I'm understanding ..."

"I understand it better" = I comprehend it in its totality more than before. I'm better able to explain it to myself and others. I know it better.
"I'm understanding it better" = I am having more "understanding experiences" than before with regard to it.

Similarly,

"I have a headache" vs. "I'm having one of my headaches again", the latter emphasizing the recurrence of headaches and that this one is the one currently being experienced.

The progressive in these cases often suggests something recurring.

Smile [:)]

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (17,769)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Regards

just the truth

#73832 Mon, 14 Feb 05 11:10 AM

I agree with both Jim and Casi on this and I think it's a matter of degree. But I don't think it's quite as easy to discern for ESL learners as Jim suggests, so I'll throw out this caution.

"I'm understanding" googled got 43,600 hits.

"I understand" googled got 7,200,000 hits.

Allowing that a Google search is not a perfect means of gauging language use, I think it's still instructive to note that the progressive represents a mere 6/10s of one percent of that of the stative 'understand'. [could I have done that math right????]

I'd suggest that it would be advisable for ESL learners, especially those at the lower ability levels to stick with the stative verb uses until they grasp the nuances involved.

Remember, "I smell ..."; "I understand ..."; "I see ... " all have progressive meanings even though, by most indications, ENLs still normally use the stative form.

just the truth

Verbs, Stative Verbs

Casi

#73861 Mon, 14 Feb 05 01:26 PM

"I'm understanding" googled got 43,600 hits.

I'd suggest that it would be advisable for ESL learners, especially those at the lower ability levels to stick with the stative verb uses until they grasp the nuances involved.

Excellent advice, JTT. Excellent.

Casi

Verbs, Stative Verbs

just the truth

#73882 Mon, 14 Feb 05 02:28 PM

Could you clarify two things for me, JTT. Did you google "understanding" as a transitive verb or as an adjective, and how many of the 43,600 were native English speakers?

Verb: I am understanding biology.
Adjective: I am understanding, flexible, and ready to work.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

As I said, Casi, t'warn't perfect.

I put "I'm understanding" and "I understand" into an "English language only" "with the exact phrase" search.

I wasn't about to start analysing 43,000 some odd hits, let alone, 27 million, to see if an ESLer got in there. Nor was I gonna go checking for adjectives or verbs either. I think you are "understanding" my meaning, desu ne? {Japanese - like "aren't you"?}

;)

just the truth

Verbs

MrPedantic

#73992 Tue, 15 Feb 05 01:04 AM

'I'm understanding it...' seems happiest with a comparative and an expression of time:

1. 'I'm understanding it more and more these days.'
2. 'I'm understanding it better than I used to.'

I agree that it has an incremental feeling.

'I'm beginning to understand...' has a different nuance, to my mind. It's more tentative: as if we don't want to sound too confident.

MrP

MrPedantic

Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004

Veteran Member (12,168)

...opella forensis / adducit febris...

Expressions

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