Re: USAGE: Survey

--- In conlang@yahoogroups.com, Thomas Wier <trwier@u...> wrote:
>Okay, I know I'm not supposed to do this, but need some
>data.  I was attending Richie Kayne's class today at the LSA
>institute on comparative syntax.  A question arose as to
>whether in English there are any present participles that
>are irregular.  I mentioned the verb "to lightning", which
>in my dialect can only have the participle "lightning",
>not "lightninging".  So which is better:
>  (1)  It was lightning out last night.  OR
>  (2)  It was lightninging out last night.
>In my dialect, I can only get (1).
AHD does give "lightning" as a verb form: "To discharge a flash or
flashes of lightning."  Unfortunately, I can't understand the parts as
given: lightninged, -ning, -nings.  Does this mean the -ning replaces
the -ed?  Or is the participle "lightning" and the 3rd person
plural "lightnings"?  Comparisons with other verb entries doesn't help
(doesn't help me, anyway).  I think choice (2) above is awkward, but
it does follow the pattern of sing, singing.  Are there any other
verbs of 2 or more syllables that end in -ing in the infinitive?
Choice (1) doesn't sound quite right.  I avoid the construction and
say, "There was lightning last night"!

Charlie
http://wiki.frath.net/user:caeruleancentaur

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