Re: USAGE: 'born'

In a message dated 5/11/01 7:11:20 AM, draqonfayir@JUNO.COM writes:

<< The adjectival use of "becoming" makes me think of the "bad pickup-line
joke":

"that shirt looks very becoming on you.  and if i was on you, i'd
'becoming' too!" >>

    Oh my lord!  I've never heard that one, and I kind of wish I never had...
 Oh well.  As for me, no word is too archaic--maybe it comes by reading so
much literature.  And someone who's writing in a newspaper undoubtedly would
find it non-archaic.  And I can come up with scores of people who would think
it the oddest thing on earth to here someone use the word "become" as an
intransitive verb.  "Hey, guys.  I'm becoming."  First, we'd look at this
person very odd, then laugh at him/her for describing themselves as
attractive in such an odd and up-front manner.  I thin you guys are really
reaching for this intransitive usage.

-David