Since the inchoate stage of language has been blurred into history,
I can only use the imagination to propose the most likely scenario:
A complete description in a sentence should contain the activator--
the Subject, the action that is taken--the Verb, or the sufferer/receiver--
the Object. This is the basic S-V-O sequence, which in my cognition
most parallels the logic. (If one felt the S-O-V sequence is more agreeable,
I would assume it's because the Subject and Object are the most prominent,
perceptible entities, while the inter-actions occurring between them
are more ethereal.)
--
"{[Travel] to other countries} is a very [popular] activity."
The above sentence comes up with the meaning that many people
do something--A large population travels to other countries.
Look at the [Travel], what form should we adopt to confer specifically
certain sense?
Let's first assume the English language first when in Germanic stage
has all kinds of inflections such as the case, declension, etc. for
the reason that all phenomena whatever it's natural or artificial
be categorized. (But why the Chinese is on the contrary, I don't know
yet.)
So now faced with the [Travel], a verb in its infinitive form, I have
several variations to choose from: the present simple tense, the past
tense, the past participle, the present participle, etc.
Since {[Travel] to other countries} is a "dynamic" action, it makes more
sense for us to let it be "Travelling."
If we used "[To travel] to other countries" it would run the risk of
uncertainties--[To travel] implies that the action hasn't been finished
, or even will not be finished!
So that just could put in place a conditional, or qualifying clause,
rather than a conclusion.
--
Compared with the "infinitives"-- the ad infinitum,
the "-ing" structure is more difinitive, and conclusive.
--
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