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To be or just be

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Posts: 551
Topic starter
(@robert)
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Joined: 14 years ago

We generally place   be   among  the linguistic parts that represent actions.  But it  obviously does no such thing,  which makes it stick out from the rest of them.    Our universe requires that there be a place in a sentence  for a verb.   But where we cannot find a suitable verb, we put in  be.   But that is only syntactical bureaucracy.   We know that   be   is not really a verb.

I wonder if there are cultures that accord their  be  with its own category, like with a name other than verb?   Or does there exist such word in English already?  Do you know?

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Posts: 859
(@emmettredd)
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Joined: 18 years ago

We have a some-time/retired radio host that says, "I be fine." It sure is a verb in that sentence. 🙂

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(@Anonymous)
Joined: 1 second ago

"Be here now" seems to put the "be" to work as a verb; it promotes an activity, with a specific place and time. 

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Posts: 551
Topic starter
(@robert)
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Joined: 14 years ago

Or you purposely take away the option of actions to make the command that much tougher.  It's instantaneous, no time allowed, not like 'come here.'

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(@Anonymous)
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If you discount be as a verb because it is not an action, then you must discount sit, lie, lean, or any other word used to describe a static situation. Merriam-Webster describes a verb as a word that "expresses an act, occurrence, or mode of being." I think the broader definition takes care of thee problem.

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