Welcome to Writers Talkback. If you are a new user, your account will have to be approved manually to prevent spam. Please bear with us in the meantime
Should we banish the word 'GOT' ?
'Got' and 'have' are similar in meaning...
I have got a new jumper or I've got a new jumper
I have a new jumper or I've a new jumper
Do we really need the word 'got'?
Comments
It can mean opposite things - I'll see if I can find what I mean!
[quote=Red]I treat 'got' as I would the word 'was' and dump it in the bin at every available opportunity. [/quote]
Last time I looked, 'was' is the past tense of 'is'. What's wrong with that? "What was, is, and always will be, world without end" - sounds fine to me.
Would be sad to lose that. (Though was never sure what 'it' was...)
Btw did anyone notice the Queen in her thank you speech spoke of the 'massive challenge' of organising the events? Seemed all wrong, somehow. Not Queen's English, anyway...
I don't advocate banishing words, but rather cutting down on them. Those I have taught to do so are much better writers because of it.
Overuse is the key word here. I hardly think using the word 'was' (or 'got') means you are producing substandard work.
I must really be off in the ether somewhere today - I read that as a word (with "-ate" at the end)
I was go-ing to say, "Okay guys, got it!" but decided to go off and dfct instead.
:D
Yep.
I use it naturally in writing though I then change it to something different or leave it out. As has been said, let's not get rid of words but help each other to use our vocabulary to it's best effect. That's whether we are teaching, learning, editing or just writing/speaking to ourselves.
All got that ?
:)
Everybody seems to use it all the time and yet it means nothing.
Let's replace it was fabby. I love fabby things.
Got, like any other word, can be over used, but that's no reason to ban it. Phrases such as 'I've got a cold' or 'got it!' or 'I've got Friday off work' wouldn't sound natural without it.
Beat that.
I often say "Ive got Tuesday off." It's perfectly natural to say it that way for me, and no doubt for many others too. If I said "I have Tuesday off," my wife would say "What yer talkin' posh for?" :D
And I do throw in some more expressive vocabulary when I get into a conversation, otherwise I am guilty of dropping letters, adding 'like' more than I should do. I'm not sure about 'was' or 'got' though.
To be honest, people are lucky I actually talk to them because I don't like making conversation much.
Another misued word is 'awesome'!