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Joined: Jan 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
I wonder what "carrying" means in this sentence: "Tumbled about among the spread nets and the glass frames sparkling and winking in the sun, there were such heaps of drooping pods, and marrows, and cucumbers, that every foot of ground appeared a vegetable treasury, while the smell of sweet herbs and all kinds of wholesome growth (to say nothing of the neighbouring meadows where the hay was carrying ) made the whole air a great nosegay. " Perhaps meaning the seed heads were forming, as fruit trees are said to "bear".
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
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Sound good to me, Dr Bill.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065 |
Is this from Dickens? In his day the passive continuous doesn't seem to have been securely established (of course I can't think of any examples) and the active used instead. So 'the hay was carrying' = 'the hay was being carried'. I vaguely remember seeing 'the house was building' being used for 'the house was being built' in early 20th century books.
Bingley
Bingley
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