[i was trying to stay away, but can't.]
On 11/18/05, J Moore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> On Wed, Nov 16, 2005 at 09:58:28AM -0800, the unit calling itself Greg Thomas 
> wrote:
> > What part of adjusting do you not understand? Nowhere in the log message
> > does it say that that adjusting is finished. You are just being obnoxious
> > for obnoxious' sake because you didn't get your way.
> >
> > Greg
>
> No, Greg - I'm not trying to be obnoxious for obnoxious' sake - are you?
> What part of the definition of the word "by" to you not understand?
>
> Have you looked the word up in a dictionary? Have you imagined yourself
> in a situation where you were standing in front of a clock, and someone
> said to you, "adjust that clock by 30 minutes, Greg."

the log message says "adjusting".  that's the present participle (not
to be confused with gerunds).  it means "not done yet."

q: "what are you doing in front of the clock?"
a1: "i adjust the time (this instant only)" -- no
a2: "i adjusted the time" -- no
a3: "i will adjust the time" -- no
a4: "i'm adjusting the time" -- we have a winner.  will you be done
adjusting the time the instant that the sentence is out of your mouth?
 or will the adjusting [gerund form here] continue for some time after
the statement is issued?

Reply via email to