[Grammar] See as state verb

[Enchanter]

Hello,

What I don't understand is why all English textbooks teach us that see (meaning to perceive something with one's eyes) is a state verb and that it cannot be used in progressive tenses. Then how could an obviously native English speaker have said the following:

"What we're seeing is a decline in the overall number of people required to do a job," said Daryl Plummer, a Gartner analyst at the research firm's Symposium ITxpo.

Thanks!

 

[Rover_KE]

I've not read 'all English textbooks', but it's perfectly normal for native English speakers to say 'What we're seeing...'

Rover

 

[Enchanter]

I've not read 'all English textbooks', but it's perfectly normal for native English speakers to say 'What we're seeing...'

Rover

I know that! My question is why do the textbooks teach that see (meaning to perceive with eyes) is state verb while native speakers use it as dynamic.

What if your student asks you this question? What will you answer?

 

[bhaisahab]

I know that! My question is why do the textbooks teach that see (meaning to perceive with eyes) is state verb while native speakers use it as dynamic.

What if your student asks you this question? What will you answer?

Would you care to name the textbooks you are talking about?

 

[5jj]

I know that!

Well, you didn't say that you knew that. In any case, people who respond here do so in the knowledge that not all who read the responses may know the information they provide.

My question is why do the textbooks teach that see (meaning to perceive with eyes) is state verb

Because seeing normally involves no action on the part of the subject of the verb. Looking, on the other hand, does involve action;

while native speakers use it as dynamic.

In the sentence you mention, SEE is not really being used dynamically. It's simply that it is possible to imply 'limited duration', by using the progressive forms sometimes with the verb SEE

What if your student asks you this question? What will you answer?

I would say that it is not very helpful to label verbs as 'stative' or 'dynamic'. It may be useful to say that some verbs are usually used in a stative or dynamic sense. There are very few indeed that are used exclusively in one way only.

 

[engee30]

It's not always the case with the verb being stative or dynamic. The same verb can often be of many other meanings. In this particular case, I'd rather say that see means experience, which will normally allow a continuous tense.
There are, however, situations in which the so-called stative verb is used dynamically, though:
I can't believe what I'm seeing.
Here, you'd use such a form of the verb see to emphasise your utterance. And, as 5jj mentions in his post, it's only NOW that is in focus, where NOW = limited duration.

 

[Enchanter]

I don't think the student would be satisfied with any of the hand-waving style answers posted in this thread. I really, really don't. Sorry.

 

[Enchanter]

Would you care to name the textbooks you are talking about?

Why?

 

[5jj]

I don't think the student would be satisfied with any of the hand-waving style answers posted in this thread. I really, really don't. Sorry.

What do you mean by 'hand-waving style answers'?

 

[emsr2d2]

If I were indulging in hand-waving while typing a response, it would be much harder to type.

 

[emsr2d2]

Why?

You'd be amazed how many times users on this forum claim that "various textbooks" state XYZ, yet it turns out that it was actually one textbook which none of us has heard of, was written by a non-native speaker and is full of errors.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I don't think the student would be satisfied with any of the hand-waving style answers posted in this thread. I really, really don't. Sorry.

The people who have responded to your question have given you excellent answers. The simple fact is that educated native speakers use the verb in the way you think is incorrect. If you cannot explain that to your students, the fault lies with you. Rudeness is not the answer.

Doctor: I am seeing more cases of Lyme disease these days.
Teacher: Lately, I am seeing more students with tattoos in my classes.