About the present perfect progressive and more

Question

"1)The girls of Rainbow *have been preparing to make their return to the music scene and now they’re back! For this comeback they’re **changing up their image.

2)Their company DSP Media disclosed, “They’ve only shown innocent and sexy sides. They will show an image that will be upgraded. They will transform into the sexy dominatrix image.“

3)Rainbow will begin promotions through M! Countdown on the 21st."

1)*The reason why the present pefect progressive is selected for the verb, prepare is to express the preparation is still going on from the past. Is this right? If so, is to exchange the present perfect progressive for the progressive tense in the sentence possible? If that's possible, does the change of nuance happen?

**What does change up mean?

2)Is the three wills exchangeable for "be going to"s? If that's possible, does the change of nuance happen?

Thanks in advance:)

The text is quoted form http://www.allkpop.com/2010/10/rainbow-releases-mach-single-and-more-concept-photos

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

"1)The girls of Rainbow *have been preparing to make their return to the music scene and now they’re back! For this comeback they’re **changing up their image.

2)Their company DSP Media disclosed, “They’ve only shown innocent and **** sides. They will show an image that will be upgraded. They will transform into the **** ********** image.“

3)Rainbow will begin promotions through M! Countdown on the 21st."

1)*The reason why the present pefect progressive is selected for the verb, prepare is to express the preparation is still going on from the past. Is this right? Yes. If so, is to exchange the present perfect progressive for the progressive tense in the sentence possible? Something is wrong with your question. The present perfect progressive is already a progressive tense. There is no exchange if both are the same. If that's possible, does the change of nuance happen? If you change to non-progressive, the meaning will change. In that case (have prepared), the idea is that the girls have finished their preparations.

**What does change up mean? I take it to mean "make a radical, unexpected, or surprising change".

2)Is the three wills exchangeable for "be going to"s? Yes. If that's possible, does ~~the~~ a change of nuance happen? Yes. With that change the tone becomes more conversational, less official.

CJ

Aramahosi · Answer

Thanks for your reply, CJ!

1)*Oops, I'm sorry but I forgot to insert the word present between "the" and "progressive".

That is "have been preparing to" VS "is preparing to". I understand both express the duraration of action form the pase to the future and there's the resemblance between them.

**You take it? So the word sounds new to you? It might be a word which the writer coined?

2)Why is "a nuance of change" right in here?

Thanks in advance.

CalifJim · Answer

aramahosi"have been preparing to" VS "is preparing to"

The subject is plural (the girls) so the contrast is not as you portray it. It is "have been preparing to" vs "are preparing to".

In any case, the two are certainly not identical in meaning.

The girls have been preparing to ... suggests on-going activity which began some time ago.
The girls are preparing to ... suggests on-going activity which began very, very recently, or is just beginning as the statement is being made, or even is going to begin soon in the future.

aramahosiYou take it? So the word sounds new to you? It might be a word which the writer coined?

Google the expression and you will find that it originated as the name of a type of pitch in baseball. From there the expression was taken up for various other situations in which the general idea has to do with sudden or unexpected change, sometimes done on purpose to keep others alert, or to alter a routine.

To my ear it sounds a bit "trendy", and I've only heard it once in the last six months in a real daily conversation. Maybe it's just starting to become popular, and maybe it's already on its way out! Who knows? So yes, it's relatively new to me.

I mentioned to an attendant at a deli counter that I must be very predictable because I almost always order the same thing every time, and she responded, "Yes, but every now and then you change it up on me just to keep me on my toes!" I agreed, because I do occasionally ask for something other than my usual order.
____________________

If that's possible, does ~~the~~ a change of nuance happen? ...

aramahosiWhy is "a nuance of change" right in here?

I think you mean "a change of nuance", not "a nuance of change". At any rate, a better way to say that is this:

If that's possible, does it create a different nuance of meaning?

It's a, not the, because there is no previous mention of any particular nuance of meaning that you might be referring to. You simply mean to ask if there is any difference. You are asking the question, so you don't know yet which change or which difference or which nuance applies. When you don't know which or don't care which, you use a, not the.

CJ

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