The alternation has been due to a fundamental disagreement concerning whether one learns to communicate in a second language by communicating in that language (such as in an immersion experience) or whether one learns to communicate in a second language by learning the texicogrammav—the words and grammatical structures—of the target language. In other words, the argument has been about two different means of achieving the same end. | Chapter 7 The Tense and Aspect System 121 Alternatively by stretching out the moment the speaker can place emphasis on the action associated with the achievement The plane is landing right on schedule. It has been said that stative verbs do not normally take the progressive because of a fundamental semantic conflict between a grammatical aspect that denotes a limited duration and a lexical aspect that expresses a stable state. 1 am knowing the answer. However such an unqualified generalization discounts the frequently made observation that the progressive can occur with stative verbs to achieve certain effects. See Kesner Bland 1988 for discussion . The progressive turns states into events. As such progressive statives can be used to a. intensify the emotion expressed by the verb I m hating this assignment. I hate this assignment b. indicate current behavior as opposed to general description He s being rude. He s rude. c. introduce change in states by focusing on differences in degree across time I m understanding less and less about life the older I get Other uses of progressive statives found by Gavis 1997 are to d. show limited duration Are you understanding this e. emphasize conscious involvement What we are seeing is a red dwarf star. f. show vividness One night in the middle of the night I m hearing dripping. g. express politeness Are you liking it cf. Do you like it h. mitigate criticism I like the first piano notes but I m not liking it where the strings come in. cf. . . but I do not like it . i. avoid imposition I was just wanting to invite you to a gathering. answering machine message The other difficulty we run into in claiming that stative verbs do not take the progressive is that many stative verbs even the classic verb of state the copula be have nonstative counterparts that are active in meaning and that may occur with the progressive. State subject is not the agent The steak weighs 12 ounces. You are a fool. I taste cinnamon in these rolls. Action .
