Re: shifting usage of "want"

Jeff Jones wrote:
>
>On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:18:56 -0400, Mark J. Reed <markjreed@...>
>wrote:
> >
> >Although the meaning is different, it seems analogous to the way
> >"though" is used in English.
> >
> >That is, both of these are equally correct sentences:
> >
> >    I went with him to the fountain, though not thirsty.
> >
> >    I went with him to the fountain, though I wasn't thirsty.
> >
> >As far as I know, it's considered a conjunction in both instances.
>
>I'm afraid the first isn't quite correct for me.
It's marginal for me; works better if "though not thirsty" comes first...

I think you're right about the
>analogy, though.
Also seems to have some synomymy with "albeit", albeit that's considered
hoity-toity :-)))

English can do "equi-NP deletion" in lots of places, as can many languages--
but we don't do it after "because", and if that's the _only_ meaning of Du.
want, it would appear to be an innovation.