have got: always British English?

nekocat

先輩

3 Apr 2007

265

11

• 8 Jul 2007

• #1

They had hardly got the door closed when the telephone rang again.

Click to expand...

This is from a book of a publisher in New York. I learned that "have got" is British English, but that Americans woulds say "have gotten."

Would the sentence in quote sound British English?

 

Mikawa Ossan

いかんわ！

Ten-year veteran Fifteen-year veteran Twenty-year veteran

17 Sep 2005

6,017

1,970

• 8 Jul 2007

• #2

I think that American English could go both ways on this one. Perhaps "had gotten" is more common, but "had got" sounds perfectly fine to me, too.

 

DoctorP

先輩

3 Jun 2004

2,193

93

• 8 Jul 2007

• #3

got is actually a word that is frowned upon when writing proper. I am actually surprised that you see it published. Most schools (at least schools with good English teachers) try to stear students away from using got.

 

Sarapva

Midnight and Snowflake

25 Feb 2007

1,072

48

• 9 Jul 2007

• #4

The differences in "got" and "gotten" are described more in the "British/American Words" thread. "Got" seems to be used more in British English, and "gotten" in American. "Gotten" in this sentence would sound more right to me than "got", but I'm used to American English. If "had" wasn't used, "got" would sound okay in American English: "They hardly got the door closed...."

 

EmperorHirohito

Who is Number One?

30 Apr 2007

1,548

40

• 9 Jul 2007

• #5

To me that sentence is fine, but I would have re-written it to say :- 'They had hardly managed to get the door closed when the telephone rang again'.

 

pugtm

Jewish Samurai

21 Apr 2007

567

13

• 9 Jul 2007

• #6

don't worry about the differences too much. Everyone can understand both.

 

T

thistle

先輩

28 May 2006

103

2

• 9 Jul 2007

• #7

Always remember finding the word 'gotten' in an english conversation textbook when I was teaching a small group of Japanese ladies one day, and I just frowned and said 'well, this is just wrong - I would never use gotten, we use got', without even checking into it.
It just sounded so wrong to me, in fact I had never even heard 'gotten' used before, thought it was american slang!

 

DoctorP

先輩

3 Jun 2004

2,193

93

• 9 Jul 2007

• #8

thistle said:

It just sounded so wrong to me, in fact I had never even heard 'gotten' used before, thought it was american slang!

Click to expand...

And yet, got is being frowned upon now days in America!

 

nekocat

先輩

3 Apr 2007

265

11

• 30 Jul 2007

• Thread starter
• #9

DoctorP said:

And yet, got is being frowned upon now days in America!

Click to expand...

Really!?:gohan: Does the sentence "They had hardly got the door closed when the telephone rang again." sound British to you?

 

DoctorP

先輩

3 Jun 2004

2,193

93

• 30 Jul 2007

• #10

It would sound better as "They had hardly closed the door when the telephone rang again." But I can't say that it sounds British.

 

Mister Micawber

English Teacher

30 Jul 2007

1

1

• 30 Jul 2007

• #11

.
Well! I('ve) finally got(ten) to the end of this thread!
.

 

Taiko666

先輩

8 May 2006

334

10

• 30 Jul 2007

• #12

Mister Micawber said:

.
Well! I('ve) finally got(ten) to the end of this thread!
.

Click to expand...

That's what you think Welcome to JREF.

Gotten is definitely North American English.
Got is British English, but with the under 25s, gotten is gaining favour as N.A. English gradually conquers the world.

(see also arse/***, take away/to go, lie/lay, torch/flashlight etc)

 

bakaKanadajin

先輩

30 Apr 2007

1,173

84

• 31 Jul 2007

• #13

In speech I personally wouldn't say 'I had hardly gotten', I'd say 'I'd hardly gotten' instead. But, yes I would say gotten vs. got. I don't know why but because its a perfect tense the addition of the extra syllable seems fitting as with other verbs, i.e. stolen, taken, forsaken, etc. Why this is a rule I do not know! I was just raised this way!

The contraction is far more natural in speech because the 'H' sound requires an open mouth and the sound is being created from the back of the throat. The throat is a less precise instrument than the lips and tongue, so the 'I'd hardly' is much nicer for me than 'I had hardly', it feels less choppy.