‘I am wanting/ they are wanting’ is the new ‘myself/ yourself’

[PinkMagpie]

I’ve noticed a real thing of people saying ‘I am wanting’ rather than ‘I want’

It seems like an attempt to over complicate a simple phrase to make it sound posher, as with people who say ‘myself’ rather than me. An attempt to sound important and professional that actually has the opposite effect because you’re messing up the grammar.

It’s fine to speak in simple, correct English and say ‘I want’ and ‘me.’

It’s the trying to sound fancy and getting things grammatically wrong that makes people sound daft.

I was just wanting to point that out 😆

Ooh I hate the myself/yourself as much as the next person but…

I am wanting is very normal Hiberno-English (see also I am needing and the much hated - in England only - “mixing up” bringing and taking) so… I’m on the fence!

Could you give an example then? Because the only time I have heard it has been from Irish people.

I think it is correct but archaic English - “want” as in “be in need of”. As in pride and prejudice, “a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife”. Or to find somebody wanting. If I’m wanting a cake, I’m short of a cake.

I think Marilyn does it in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Sadly can’t find any clips!

I think that is the perfect example.

you’ve said “I’m wanting a cake”

when what you mean is: “I want a cake”

I'm loving this thread so much that I emailed it to myself. I might print it out and bring it with me to my mum's, if I get an invite and feel like going.

Could go either way. If I fancy a slice of cake, yes I want a cake. If I’m short a cake for a birthday party, and go in a shop to buy one, I’m wanting a cake. I may or may not particularly want to eat it myself, but I need one.

that's the correct use of "myself"

as opposed to "I'm loving this thread so much I asked OP to email it to myself"

My pet hate is the word ‘lay’ or ‘laying’. Nobody seems able to say ‘lie’ or ‘lying’ any more (in the context of lying down, not telling an untruth).

E.g. ‘We were laying on the beach’ or ‘I had a headache so I had to lay down’

But can I just say that I love this thread. I have found my people! 😂

When there are 2 being compared, it ends in "er." I say younger or older (elder) when referring to my daughters.
You use "est" if there are 3 or more.