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GET

bakaKanadajin

先輩
30 Apr 2007
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(I've been meaning to contribute something to the English forum for a while. Since I'm bored at work today I thought I might as well do something useful. My ONLY claim to teaching experience is 1 year at NOVA, so please note that I'm not adept at grammatical terminology. I'm simply connecting dots between what little I know of grammar and what English speakers actually say in every day conversation. I chose the word GET because it's tossed around a lot in conversation and it strikes me as something a Japanese-born English learner might have difficulty following without examining it more closely.

If there are any glaring inaccuracies please let me know and I'll edit, with credit given. But unless its an obvious mistake please save the radical and exceptional examples out, I've tried to streamline this into something thats accurate in MOST, not ALL situations, for the sake of simplicity.)



A QUICK LESSON ON THE ENGLISH WORD GET

Part 1
GET is a common English word. It has formal and casual uses. It can mean many things. Some uses are common in speech but not 100% correct.

Here are some common meanings and similar Japanese meanings:

1) to take or acquire; to receive (TORU/YARU)
2) to become or achieve (NARU)
3) 'have' or 'must' (do something) (-NAITO IKENAI, -NAKERBA NARIMASEN)
4) to possess/own a thing; to have something (MOTSU)
5) to have permission to do something, to be able to do something (DEKIRU)
6) to arrive at, or reach a destination. (TSUKU)

Here is an English structure using all forms:

Tomorrow I'm getting a new bicycle. I want to get better so I've got to practice a lot. After I've gotten better on this bicycle I'm going to get another one so I can do more tricks. If you want to get really good you've got to get a BMX. That's what my brother said, he's got one too. I think he got it for his birthday. He said I would get to ride it but I never got to. I can't wait to get to the store.

(BMX = famous American bicycle made for tricks.)

It looks easy, but when listening to a native speaker it can be difficult. Please read below; this is a more natural way of speaking.

Tomorrow I'm gettin' a new bike. I wanna get better so I've gotta practice. After I've gotten better on this one I'm gonna get another so I can do more tricks. If you wanna get really good you've gotta get a BMX. That's what my brother said, he's got one too. I think he got it for his birthday. He said I'd get to ride it but I never got to. I can't wait to get to the store.

EXERCISE
Before Part 2, find all the forms of GET (get, getting, gotten) and choose the meaning from 1-4.



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Part 2

Let's look at the meanings of GET.

1) to take or acquire; to receive (TORU/YARU)
Tomorrow I'm gettin' a new bike.
...I'm gonna get another...
...you should get a BMX...
...he got it for his birthday



2) to become or achieve (NARU)
I wanna get better...
After I've gotten better...
If you wanna get better...



3) 'have' or 'must' (do something) (-NAITO IKEMASEN/NAKERBA NARIMASEN)
...I've gotta practice.
...you've gotta get a BMX.



4) to possess/own a thing; to have something (MOTSU)
That's what my brother said, he's got one too.


5) to be able to do something (DEKIRU)
He said I would get to ride it but I never got to.


6) to arrive at, or reach a destination (TSUKU)
I can't wait to get to the store!

EXERCISE
Make new sentences and practice each meaning.



------------------------
Part 3: Conclusion and Explanation

1) to take or acquire; to receive (TORU/YARU)

Usually this form is correct in formal and casual situations. The difference between TAKING and RECEIVING is if there is a 2nd person.
"I'm getting a drink." (TAKE)
"I'm getting a bike for Christmas from my dad." (RECEIVE)


2) to become or achieve (NARU)

The difference between #1(above) and #2(this) is that we use a noun (meishi) or an adjective (keiyoshi)
"I'm getting sick." (BECOMING) Sick = adjective
"I'm getting better." (BECOMING) Better = adjective
"I'm getting a book." (TAKE/RECEIVE) Book = noun


3) 'have' or 'must' (do something) (-NAITO IKEMASEN/NAKERBA NARIMASEN)

This is informal.
"I've got to... " Do something. (I MUST)
"He's got to..." Do something. (HE MUST)

It should be:
"I have to..."
"He has to..."

But in casual speech sometimes we say "I've gotta, He's gotta." I am not sure about the history, but it is not 100% correct, it is very casual. But, it is common!


4) to possess/own a thing; to have something (MOTSU)

This is also informal and not 100% correct. It's a short form of the perfect tense "gotten".
"I've got a bike"
"He's got a cold"

It is informal, it should be:
"I have gotten"
"He has gotten"

When we look closely, we see its a form of RECEIVE, TAKE and BECOME!

"I have gotten a cold" (I received a cold from someone, somewhere)
"He has gotten a bike" (He has taken a bike from the garage)

In casual speech we usually just say "I've got", which means "I have", but actually it refers to the past action when we received/took/became that thing.


5) to be able to do something (DEKIRU)

I had missed this one (thanks EvilCowSlayer!) and it is very common. If we use 'TO' and say 'GET TO' it is like receiving something. What do we receive? We receive the ability or permission to do a thing. Please look at the difference:

"I will get tickets to the concert."
(I will receive tickets; I will go buy tickets)

"I get to go to the concert."
(Someone or something is making it possible)


6) to arrive at, or reach a destination (TSUKU)

In English we say 'get there, get home, get to a location.' The meaning is similar to arriving at a place.
"It took me one hour to get to the office."
"I always get home in time for dinner."



:D
 
Last edited by a moderator:
"Gotten" isn't used much in British English, but in American (and Canadian) English it seems to be used a lot.

Am./Can. - "I've gotten a new bike."

British - "I've got a new bike."
 
A nicely presented article. Thanks for your concern and work on that. I might suggest adding 'to' after the 'have' in Part 1, number 3--'have to' (do something)

MM
 
I would like to present a fifth meaning; To have permission or be able to do something.

"Since our parents are so nice, we get to go to the movies."
 
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