Craig,
To keep it simple, I almost always treat "about" in sentences such as the one you mention as the quivalent of, as you noted, "ready." I am ready to study grammar." I also point out that the meaning is not quite exact, but it is roughly in the ballpark. In addition, KISS explains that not all words need to be explained in precise grammatical terminology because, just as words can be idiomatic, so can grammatical constructions. "Ready to" is probably one of them.
I would like to note, however, that I admire what you are doing ¯ looking at the construction from a variety of ways, with students. The KISS focus is usually on the analysis of texts, not grammatical constructions, so the simple usually prevails. However, there are times when there is world enough and time to explore the possible variations in the constructions (and explanations of them). And I do think that what you are showing students is very important.
Ed
>>> [log in to unmask] 01/30/04 01:20PM >>>
My grammar class was improvising prepositional phrases for a few
common prepositions, including "about", and a student presented this
sentence: I am about to study grammar.
I was (and am) fairly sure "about to study grammar" isn't a
prepositional phrase, but I was (and am) not sure of how to understand
and explain it. I thought about "about to" as a sort of modal
auxiliary, somewhat parallel to "I ought to study grammar" or "I am
supposed to study grammar", though I'm not happy with that. Another
possibility is to think of "to study grammar" as an infinitive clause
(phrase, if you feel so inclined), with "about" acting somewhat like an
adjective would in the same slot. (Infinitive structure as adjective
complement. "I am ready to study grammar" or "I am happy to study
grammar.") "About" does mean something like "almost" in certain
contexts. ("I'm about crazy over her." Or, in a closer parallel, "I am
about to go insane.")
I told my students I was perplexed on Wednesday, told them my
current thinking today, and then said I would be asking other people for
help, in part because I want to model what "doing grammar" is about,
sometimes feeling perplexed, sometimes very much a group activity.
Perhaps someone has already wrestled with this and we won't need to
invent a crooked wheel.
Has anyone seen this construct described before? If not, any other
suggestions?
Craig
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