Revision as of 12:31, 1 July 2013

Verb

In French the verb "vouloir" is associated with "volonté" (will) as well as with desire. In English "want" is more deeply intertwined with a lack (un manque). When something is found wanting, it is insufficient, it is missing something necessary. This basic meaning of "want" is interesting, because it makes the grammatical subject an experiencer as much as an agent.

lexical

Examples:

• They want new screens.
• I want you. (Uncle Sam sez')

modalizer

When it combines with "to", "want to" is as much a modalizer as a lexical verb. Like "going to" / "have to", the modalizing particle "to" is reduced to ə.

It adds a notion of desire or lack to another verb in the infinitive mode (active or passive) which in turn expresses the object of desire.

• She wants to finish before evening.
• He wants (her) to be finished before evening.
• They wanted to be loved, and they were.
• They wanted to Ø love each other, and they did.

The verb "want" is compatible with the imperative. When one hears Wanna' [...] ?, it is (perhaps) best thought of as a simplification of a more complex structure.

• Wanna' play? Do you want to play?
• Wanna' stop for lunch? Do you want to stop for lunch?
• Watcha' wanna' do? What do you want to do?

Noun

Participles

wanting

found wanting

wanted

Proverbs

Waste not, want not.

For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the message was lost. For want of a message the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.