Happiness = the state of being happy

Question

Teachers, this structure of the -ing phrase has been bugging me sometime. I looked up the definition of the word happiness and that was it: the state of being happy. I thought that 'happy' is a state, then why was there 'being'. When you describe a state of mind, would you use this structure with the -ing? I have no idea why you would use this structure, of -ing form. Please help~~

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

'Happy' is not a 'state' simply because it is not a noun.  'Happy' (an adjective) describes a state ('happiness').  I think you are confusing grammar with life.

CalifJim · Answer

Bamtorithis structure of the -ing phrase has been bugging me ~~sometime~~ for some time.

It's the abstract form.

am, is, and are are all forms of the verb be.

I am happy, you are happy, we are happy, he is happy, she is happy, ...
[We don't say I be happy, you be happy, ..., though that is essentially the meaning.]

To summarize all these without reference to who the happy person is, we talk about

being happy.

All of those sentences are about being happy.
___________________

The dictionary definition of happiness is this:

happiness = being happy

Likewise, sadness = being sad (am sad, is sad, are sad).
Likewise, anxiety = being anxious (am anxious, is anxious, are anxious).
Likewise, beauty = being beautiful (am beautiful, is beautiful, are beautiful).

So in these definitions, being stands for all the grammatical forms of be that make sense within the context.

CJ

Happiness = the state of being happy

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