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 Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 9/16/2016 Posts: 432 Neurons: 2,219
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I want rocking : what does this mean?
1. I want the movement of rocking by possibly a chair or anything. 2. I want somebody to rock me like a baby.
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 Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 9/12/2011 Posts: 28,486 Neurons: 162,175 Location: Livingston, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Joe Kim wrote:I want rocking : what does this mean?
1. I want the movement of rocking by possibly a chair or anything. 2. I want somebody to rock me like a baby. Hi Joe Kim.It is not a sentence I would expect to hear, and it could mean both of your suggestions. It would be more common to use these two (which only have one meaning each, really). I want to rock (in my rocking chair). I want to be rocked (like a baby). "I want to rock" could mean "I want to enjoy or dance to some rock music" - but I think that it would be obvious from the situation. Wyrd bið ful aræd - bull!
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 Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 10/28/2013 Posts: 822 Neurons: 9,134 Location: Calabasas, California, United States
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Joe Kim wrote:I want rocking : what does this mean?
1. I want the movement of rocking by possibly a chair or anything. 2. I want somebody to rock me like a baby.
Again, this type of question requires context. Without that, no one can give a useful answer.
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 Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 9/16/2016 Posts: 432 Neurons: 2,219
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Thank you.
Then, if it was "I need rocking" would it have communicated possible one of two meanings I suggested?
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 Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 10/28/2013 Posts: 822 Neurons: 9,134 Location: Calabasas, California, United States
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Possibly.
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 Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 9/12/2011 Posts: 28,486 Neurons: 162,175 Location: Livingston, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Yes - that sounds more like "I need to be rocked" (like a baby).
There are some phrases which use this form.
The soup needs stirring. = The soup needs to be stirred. The grass needs cutting. = The grass needs to be cut. Your hair needs combing. = Your hair needs to be combed. = You need to comb your hair.
However, "want ***ing" isn't used, except as an idiomatic/colloquial way of saying "needs to be ***" or "should be ***". It is normally used only in the third person.
He wants shooting. = He needs to be shot. = He's evil. He should be shot. My coffee wants warming up. = My coffee needs to be warmed up. = My coffee is cool, it should be warmed up.
You want to come in and get warm. = It's cold, you should come in and get warm. (not "You want coming in and get warm.")
Wyrd bið ful aræd - bull!
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