present tense + "for/since"

[Beverly Flanigan]

I hear/read this only in non-native English, and not just in present tense
but also in present progressive constructions:  We live/are living here
since 10 years (ago)/for 10 years/since 1993.  Parentheses indicate
optional use ('since 10 years' is very common in NNS English).

At 02:07 PM 12/15/2003 -0800, you wrote:
>Hi all. I have a question on syntax for you.
>
>Can you think of any frequent idiomatic examples of a
>present tense, instead of the present perfect,
>followed by "for" or "since" to talk about duration
>("...since 1930... for 80 years now").
>
>Do you often use the present in such structures in
>your own idiolect? What differences can you find in
>using the present over the "more regular" perfective
>tense?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Pete
>
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