Question for the grammar police

[broadhat]

I keep hearing variations of the phrase 'the people are loving it', 'I'm loving it' and so on.

It doesn't seem to be an example of bad grammar, however doesn't sound quite right either. Which is it?

[missliv]

The verb "to love" doesn't need to be conjugated with "to be" - we are not French.

[PhillT]

Not incorrect, just non-specific. I should imagine the 'it' is insinuated according to context.
Possibly slightly unusual, in that "I love it" might be more often used were the alternative not an increasingly popluar catchphrase. But I don't believe the alternative is actually wrong.

[Eric Mc]

An overused phrase, I admit - but nothing particularly wrong with it from a grammatical point of view. It certainly sounds clumsy when the neater alternative would be the simpler "I love it".

Edited by Eric Mc on Tuesday 5th August 13:27

[cmsapms]

If you're currently tucking into a manky McDog burger, and your tastebuds are sufficiently fked that you are actually enjoying the experience, then "I'm loving it" as a statement would be apposite.

If you are not tucking into said comestible at this very moment, "I love it" as a general comment on your approval of clown food might be more appropriate. Having said that, "I love them" might more accurately describe the subset of McProducts of which one approves. Surely no-one could possibly enjoy all the output under the arches. Could they?

Edited by cmsapms on Tuesday 5th August 13:50

[captainzep]

As I understand it, it was a legally derived usage via McDonald's lawyers.

'I'm loving it' was loose enough to get away with.

'I'm enjoying it' was likely to breach trades descriptions laws in relation to the consumption of many of their products.

[toastboy]

'I'm loving it' differs from 'I love it' in that the first phrase implies that the loving feeling is happening at the moment where the second implies that this is always the case.

I think.

Or maybe I am thinking.