I am getting annoyed/amazed

[Vladv1]

With some adjectives we can put the copula get in continuous forms - I am getting annoyed. But with some we can't- I am getting amazed. How can I know when I can, and when I can't? Does it depend on the gradability of the adjecitve? If is it gradable, we can't put get in continuous.can we?

 

[emsr2d2]

With some adjectives we can put the copula get in continuous forms, for example "I am getting annoyed". But However, with some we can't, for example "I am getting amazed". How can do I know when I can no comma here and when I can't? Does it depend on the gradability of the adjective? If is it it is gradable, we can't put "get" in the continuous, can we?

Note my corrections above. Please install an English spell-checker on your browser to avoid basic errors such as "adjecitve". As a learner, don't try to start sentences with "but".

If your final sentence was true, we wouldn't be able to say "I am getting annoyed", would we? "Annoyed" is gradable. We can "more annoyed", "less annoyed" and "most annoyed".

The best way to learn such nuances is, as always, to consistently read good-quality written English, watch English-language TV and films, and listen to high-quality English-language radio and podcasts.

 

[Annabel Lee]

With some adjectives we can put the copula get in continuous forms - I am getting annoyed. But with some we can't- I am getting amazed.

It is possible to use "am getting amazed" with the addition of "more and more" between "getting" and "amazed":

This fireworks exhibition is fantastic—I'm getting more and more amazed by the minute.​

 

[Tarheel]

If you say, "I am getting annoyed" you are, of course, already a little annoyed to begin with.

 

[emsr2d2]

If you say, "I am getting annoyed" you are, of course, already a little annoyed to begin with.

You weren't annoyed before you started becoming annoyed. If you're annoyed to begin with and the feeling gets stronger, we'd say "I'm getting more annoyed".

 

[5jj]

It is possible to use "am getting amazed" with the addition of "more and more" between "getting" and "amazed"...?

i would say not for most native speakers.

 

[Annabel Lee]

i would say not for most native speakers.

I didn't mean to suggest that I found "am getting more and more amazed" resoundingly beyond dispute, only that it sounds much better than "am getting amazed" by itself, at least in a suitable context, such as fireworks exhibitions, which are designed to amaze, and which, when well funded, tend to become ever more spectacular as the exhibitions progress.

I think that the problem with "am getting amazed" (in the copulative, not the progressive passive, sense) is that it focuses on the transition into the state of amazement, whereas, experientially, there is no such transitional period. Amazement simply happens, like surprise and delight.

Excitement, on the other hand, can indeed be transitioned into, from a mere flutter of the nerves to "Holy cow!" levels. We also experience such transitions with worry, tiredness, boredom, etc., each of which phenomena has its related past-participial adjective that can be used as a subject complement following copulative get in the progressive.

?? We are getting really amazed.
?? We are getting really surprised.
?? We are getting really delighted.

We are getting really excited.
We are getting really worried.
We are getting really tired.

 

[teechar]

We can "more annoyed", "less annoyed" and "most annoyed".

Something is missing there.

With some adjectives we can put the copula get in continuous forms - I am getting annoyed. But with some/others we can't- I am getting amazed. How can I know when I can, and when I can't? Does it depend on the gradability of the adjective?

It does kind of depend on that. First, think of "getting" as "becoming", thus implying a "gradual" process as against a sudden change of state.

For example, with adjectives such as "dead" or "bankrupt", it doesn't make sense to use "becoming" or "getting". You're either dead/bankrupt or you're not. At the other end of the spectrum, you have obviously gradable adjectives such as "cold" or "frustrated" which can, of course, be preceded by "becoming" or "getting". The problem is with "grey-zone" adjectives, such as "amazed". Some would classify that as belonging to the first group (i.e. not gradable), while others might view it as belonging to the extremity of the second group (i.e. just about gradable). Hence the range of answers (which are all valid in my opinion) above.

 

[Tarheel]

You weren't annoyed before you started becoming annoyed. If you're annoyed to begin with and the feeling gets stronger, we'd say "I'm getting more annoyed".

Of course you weren't annoyed before started becoming annoyed. If you say, "I'm getting annoyed" what feeling are you expressing?