Why is it called a 'building' when it is already built??

Answer 1

Becoz at any time 'they' can start building another floor on top.

Answer 2

Novembr's answer appears to be nearest to the basic idea of building. It has a forward-looking sound. It is a usual experience that even if the building has been built with great care and thoughtful planning it is when it is actually lived in that the points of inconvenience start pinching. I am not taling about the 'Vastu Vidyan' but normal everyday experience. Locationo of the plinth for cooking, bathroom etc. Sometimes this inherent incompletness sound in calling a built consruxction a building go to almost ludictrous extent. There is a family in Solapur(Maharashtra,India) called the Bhagvats who have been adding to a stucture called Bhagwat Theatre for the last 80 years generation after generation. There was only one cinema house initially now it has become a multiplex besides being a residential house. Every year we can see some addition/alteration to it.The rumour is that the family is under a curse that the moment it stops adding/altering the geneological creeper would wither up.

Answer 3

"Building" meaning the OBJECT, and "Building" meaning the PROCESS have separate histories. The "ing" suffixes were originally different. And in fact the one referring to the completed object is OLDER.

The origins of the forms:

The NOUN form -- in Old English, the suffix -ung (sometimes -ing) was often used to create nouns. This exact ending is still seen in German nouns that end with -ung. The noun can relate to the original verb ("build") in several ways. Often it refers to something that is the RESULT of the process the verb refers to.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-ung
http://www.tu-chemnitz.de/phil/english/chairs/linguist/real/independent/eafrica/Diss_Diana/dissch4-3.htm

In fact, there are MANY examples of such words in Modern English. Consider the following nouns which refer to objects which, like "building", are ordinarily NOT "in process" when we speak of them:
painting, dwelling, saying, writing, gathering, bedding, roofing, sacking, clothing, earnings

(There are other, related ways, that Old English formed nouns from verb roots. One of these is the suffix -(at)ion, such as: decision, isolation, explanation. Another is -ment: establishment.)


The VERB form -- in Old English, participles ended with -ende (a form still found in German).

In Middle English these forms fell together. That is, both the participle and noun ends became "-ing". In fact, the use of this form in expressions like "the building of" is a LATE development (whereas "building" as an object is a very old sort of form).
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=261832


For the distinction in the suffixes, see Webster's (1913)
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=261832

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Note that it is actually quite common for suffixes that look exactly the same to be used in different parts of a language to carry out different functions. This is not usually a problem and should not confuse speakers because the WAY the forms are used in sentences makes it clear which form is meant. Examples:

-(e)r -- turns a verb into a agentive noun ("maker", "hitter")
OR for the comparative form of an adjective ("bigger")

-(e)s -- a singular present tense verb ending [originally -eth, as in King James "cometh] ("he hits")
OR to make a plural noun form ("hits")
OR (with an apostrophe) to form a possessive

-(e)st -- old ending for verb forms (2nd singular) such as "thou makest"
OR for superlative of adjectives ("finest")

-y -- to form a diminutive ("Timmy")
OR to form adjectives from nouns ("funny")


http://www.funtrivia.com/en/subtopics/L-ing-guistics-177534.html

Answer 4

Because builting just doesn't sound right.

Answer 5

Possibly because the english language is at times fraught with such stupidities! Why boxing ring? it's a square!
The list is endless..............

Answer 6

simple- coz 'building' has another meaning
it is a noun here......otherwise its a verb

Answer 7

how would this sound .Let me show you where the built is.

Answer 8

Called structure if you want.!

Answer 9

why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways? Just because sombody decided to name it that.