Anyone find the use of "being + past participle" strangely amusing?

hatrickpatrick

This will sound ridiculous, but the more I think of it, the more I can't help getting a good giggle out of this particular grammatical form. Perhaps it stems from the overall ridiculousness of that "we're being bugged" scene in Father Ted?

In all seriousness though, does this form strike anyone else as a little bizarre, when you stop and think about it? To talk about something which is happening now, by using a present tense followed by a past participle? Do other languages do the same or is this an English oddity?

catallus

What you talkin' 'bout Willis?

That sort of thing?

hatrickpatrick

I'm thinking more along the lines of how someone is "being attacked", a country is "being invaded", a dog is "being humped", that kind of thing.

catallus

Yes. I see now. That's hysterical, hatrick.

What else do you find funny, btw?

hatrickpatrick

catallus wrote: »

Yes. I see now. That's hysterical, hatrick.

What else do you find funny, btw?

Far, far too many things. :pac:

pickarooney

You'll absolutely lose it when you consider the past participle is used with the future and conditional tenses. Nostradamus like.

tac foley

I would have liked not to have been thinking about reading this thread in the future.

tac