becoming (was: 'born')

Nik Taylor wrote:

>David Peterson wrote:
>>     It certainly does mean "attractive", and I don't think any English
allows
>> the second usage.  Unless, of course, the sentence before it is "I don't
know
>> what the city's...", or something like that.
>
>But, look at the following sentence "There may be arguments as to what
>it's becoming".  That interpretation makes perfect sense to me>
Of course. The rest of the passage makes clear that the city is undergoing a
process of change, not that it is "still attractive."
(a) And think about it:  when was the last time you said, or heard said,
"Gee, [city or town of your choice] is so becoming!", meaning "attractive".
(b) For me at least, "becoming" connotes "attractive _because of some
external  feature, often though not exclusively apparel_"
- "She is /looks very becoming"
- "That bikini is becoming on her"
- "Good manners are very becoming in a man/woman"
* She has a becoming personality.
?*Their house is so becoming.

It strikes me that it would be rare, perhaps even a little odd, for a
(straight) man to use "becoming" of another man's appearance-- but maybe
that's just me......

Incidentally, Muke's Span. nacerse seems to me the _perfect_ Span.
translation of the last sentence in the quote-- ..."la ciudad todavía está
naciéndose"; the first line could well be
"...haciéndose/formándose/creándose"