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Re: USAGE: 'born'

From:Robert Hailman <robert@...>
Date:Friday, May 11, 2001, 21:14
Steg Belsky wrote:
> > On Fri, 11 May 2001 10:10:32 -0400 Amanda Babcock <langs@...> > writes: > > On Thu, May 10, 2001 at 06:02:47PM -0400, Nik Taylor wrote: > > > David Peterson wrote: > > > > The first definition is "tending to suit or to give a > > pleasing effect or > > > > attractive appearance, as to a person or thing". "Becoming > > what?" That's not > > > > the response of a native English speaker. > > > > It's the response of THIS native English speaker. > > > This one too. > > I find the adjectival use of "becoming" so old-fashioned that I > > automatically > > assume the verbal meaning in a modern context. > > > > Amanda > - > > 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!"
:-) Actually, that's what came in to my mind the first time I saw this whole "becoming" debate. In a modern context, I, like Amanda, automatically assume the verbal meaning. -- Robert