33K people are posting about this.

[kadioguy]

[From a hashtag search results page in FaceBook]

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Why is the present progressive used? I mean, why not “33K people posted ...” or “33K people have posted ...”?

A friend told me, "They phrased it that way intentionally to make it sound like the hashtag is popular right now."

Me: So even though that's all for now, but they are trying to give us an impression that the hashtag is popular right now (people are still posting about it). Is that right?

Friend: Yes, they're at least trying to give an impression that it's still being chatted about.
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I agree with them. However, I'd also like to hear your opinions.

 

[emsr2d2]

"Are posting" is used to show the ongoing nature of the posting. A lot of people have posted and they/others continue to do so.

 

[kadioguy]

"Are posting" is used to show the ongoing nature of the posting. A lot of people have posted and they/others continue to do so.

But I think that it is more like 33K people have posted about this and that's all for now. There is no evidence that 33K people are (still) posting about this. I mean, for example, it is as we searched for the hashtag and got 33K hits. We wouldn't say people are (still) posting about this. That's why I asked this question.

 

[emsr2d2]

At the time of the post, people were still using that hashtag.

 

[kadioguy]

At the time of the post, people were still using that hashtag.

It is more like to me that the use of "33K people are posting about this" is the historical present. For example, when we talk about an article, we might say "the author is trying to (verb) ...". I think that this one is basically the same as the one in my question.

What do you think?

 

[Tdol]

It's the internet and it doesn't slavishly follow grammar rules.

 

[kadioguy]

It's the internet and it doesn't slavishly follow grammar rules.

So it seems like what my friend said in post #1 makes sense.

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes, when you see "hashtag XXX - [number] people are posting about this", it means that the hashtag is trending. They don't wait until everyone they think is going to post about it has done so, and then post a total. They want to make the point that it's currently popular and lots of people are posting about it.

 

[dunchee]

Ultimately, this is their goal:
(It's a short clip)

https://imgur.com/uaJiJba

Something dynamic, not static.

Not a teacher.

 

[kadioguy]

Yes, when you see "hashtag XXX - [number] people are posting about this", it means that the hashtag is trending. They don't wait until everyone they think is going to post about it has done so, and then post a total. They want to make the point that it's currently popular and lots of people are posting about it.

But I think that it is more like a trick, because no matter what hashtag you search for, there will always be "hashtag XXX - [number] people are posting about this".

Please see the examples below.

So I'd say they are using this expression [the -ing form, to me, the historical present (prograssive)] to give us an impression that the hashtag is popular (as said in post #1) and to encourage us to read and join the discussion.

 

[Tarheel]

I'm pretty sure you're talking about Twitter, not Facebook.

 

[kadioguy]

I'm pretty sure you're talking about Twitter, not Facebook.

I don't use Twitter very often, but I guess that they are same in this way.

 

[emsr2d2]

But I think that it is more like a trick, because no matter what hashtag you search for, there will always be "hashtag XXX - [number] people are posting about this".

Please see the examples below.

So I'd say they are using this expression [the -ing form, to me, the historical present (prograssive)] to give us an impression that the hashtag is popular (as said in post #1) and to encourage us to read and join the discussion.

That's not correct. Yesterday, I used the search function in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to search for "#9/11". I wanted to make sure I searched for something that was unlikely to be trending these days. I was right. The hashtag itself appeared but with no current figures for usage.
The examples you used are too generic. Given how many people post across those three platforms every second, there was a good chance that your terms would come up a lot.

 

[dunchee]

My post was edited by a moderator and reason given was "Please remember to add 'Not a teacher'".

But I do have "Not a teacher" in my signature. I wonder if this is another case where the moderator was mistaken and didn't have his/her signature viewing function turned on.

 

[emsr2d2]

My post was edited by a moderator and reason given was "Please remember to add 'Not a teacher'".

But I do have "Not a teacher" in my signature. I wonder if this is another case where the moderator was mistaken and didn't have his/her signature viewing function turned on.
View attachment 4436

That was me. I edited it and then, when I looked to check that the edit was showing up, I noticed your signature line. I then re-edited the post to remove my added words. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[kadioguy]

That's not correct. Yesterday, I used the search function in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to search for "#9/11". I wanted to make sure I searched for something that was unlikely to be trending these days. I was right. The hashtag itself appeared but with no current figures for usage.
The examples you used are too generic. Given how many people post across those three platforms every second, there was a good chance that your terms would come up a lot.

Okay, I've checked it. It like the examples below. So there are two patterns:

a. "hashtag XXX - people are posting about this"
b. "hashtag XXX - [number] people are posting about this"

B is popular while A is less popular.

However, back to my original question, that is, how can we figure out the present progressive?

I'll keep my answer in post #10.

I'd say they are using this expression [the -ing form, to me, the historical present (prograssive)] to give us an impression that the hashtag is popular (as said in post #1) and to encourage us to read and join the discussion.

Do you agree with me?

 

[Tarheel]

All that means to me is that it's current. In other words, there have been so many posts about it, and you can probably expect more.

(Whenever I see somebody use a hashtag on Facebook I ask him if he thinks he's on Twitter.)

I think maybe the hashtag is for people who are lazy and can't think for themselves. (The moderator will probably delete that.)

 

[SoothingDave]

They want you to know that something is happening. Inviting you to join in on the big thing that's happening right now, that you are missing out on. Not something that happened. That's over.

It's really that simple.

 

[emsr2d2]

All that means to me is that it's current. In other words, there have been so many posts about it, and you can probably expect more.

(Whenever I see somebody use a hashtag on Facebook I ask him if he thinks he's on Twitter.)

I think maybe the hashtag is for people who are lazy and can't think for themselves. (The moderator will probably delete that.)

It's possible to set up both Twitter and Instagram to automatically repost one's content straight to Facebook. Consequently, if a post on either of those platforms contains a hashtag, it will also appear on the automatically-generated Facebook post.

 

[Phaedrus]

Why is the present progressive used? I mean, why not “33K people posted ...” or “33K people have posted ...”?

Another plausible reason for the use of the present progressive there is that the audience consists partly of people who may be encountering the discussion for the first time, from whose perspective, as they read through the thread, it will appear that previously made postings are "presently" adding things.

The other day, I had an analogous experience here. I made a post in a thread that seemed to me to be a lively thread in which many people were commenting. After I made my post, I noticed that I had actually posted to a thread that had been resurrected after having lain dormant for about eight years!