So, has the verb ‘understand’ become ‘non-stative’? On another language forum an American English teacher wrote that the question ‘Are you understanding?’ is perfectly correct English. To me, it still sounds wrong. Is that because I’m too old or because I’m German? Or both? Many thanks, Torsten
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Hi Torsten,
I think the reason is simply ‘stuff changes’. I can understand how you feel because it sounds alien to me. But I try to adopt the attitude taken by David Crystal. He always says that one of the reasons, if not the main reason, why he is attracted to language study is that there are changes in language every day.
Alan
I certainly do want to go with the flow too, Alan, so I’m trying to learn how to use the progressive form of understand. To that end, can you please explain the difference between “Do you understand?” and “Are you understanding?” Vielen Dank, Torsten[YSaerTTEW443543]
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“Are you understanding?” means are you an understanding, tolerant, empathetic person? I don’t think it is a substitute for “Do you understand?”
Hi TJ, I think if you say “are you understanding?” you are using ‘understanding’ as an adjective as in ‘are you a caring person’? What I mean, is what is the difference between ‘Are you understanding me?’ (present progressive) and the standard question ‘do you understand me?’[YSaerTTEW443543]
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As I said before, it is alien to me and I would regard it as incorrect. I can only imagine it comes from Indian English. Perhaps Lawrence could throw some light on this?
Alan
I have found some information to share.
It seems that many Americans will occasionally use “understand” as a dynamic verb when it refers to CHANGE OVER TIME.
Here are three examples that seem to show the meaning of “change over time.”
My local newspaper once quoted a Starbucks coffeehouse company executive as saying: “We’re understanding that we are in a tough economic environment and we have to innovate and invest.”
One source offered: “I am understanding his character MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY.” [my emphasis]
Another source offered: “I’m understanding more about quantum mechanics AS EACH DAY GOES BY.” [my emphasis]
Credit for all of that information goes to:
a. Marianne Celce-Murcia and Diane Larsen-Freeman, THE GRAMMAR BOOK (1983 edition), page 71.
b. K. Kabakolev, ASPECT IN ENGLISH (2013). Courtesy of Google “Books.”
c. Bernard Comrie, ASPECT: AN INTRODUCTION (1976). Courtesy of Google “Books.”
I’m thinking that I’m sometimes not understanding what our American friends are saying.[YSaerTTEW443543]
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Hi all,
Thank you a lot,James M! ))
Thank you, Alan. But I do not approve of your terming it InE. This question is asked by non-Indians as well. I have faced a similar situation in the class once. The question, though not illogical, raised was this: When we say ‘I’m hoping’, ‘I’m wondering’, ‘I’m thinking’ etc, why can’t we use ‘I am understanding’, ‘I’m seeing’, ‘I’m hearing’ and so on? The questioner dismissed my clarification that native speakers determine the usages in their language just as we do in ours. The student scornfully argued that it should be based on some rationale.
Hello James, nice hearing you after a long time! How are you?
By the way, what has happened to your NOT-A-TEACHER ‘anticipatory bail’, which used to characterize your comments? (_)
Thank you, Foreigner and Anglophile, for your kind notes.
(I have decided to drop the disclaimer since the current rules at this website do not require it.)
You’re welcome, Jim!