Gotten!

Discussion of the re-branding of CTC as Cycling UK.
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Stradageek
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Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Gotten!

Post by Stradageek »

American words in CYCLE magazine! Is this a part of the re-brand (CYCLE magazine page 65 'Components' paragraph line 4)? Much as I am in favour (or do I need to say favor) of removing all national boundaries and barriers, I thought that, for the moment at least, we were Cycling UK rather than Cycling USA!
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vollerama
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Joined: 24 Mar 2015, 1:28pm
Location: Aldershot, Hampshire, UK

Re: Gotten!

Post by vollerama »

Hi there,

"Gotten" is, in fact, an ancient English word that was in use in England at the time America was colonized by the English. Over the centuries, the Americans kept on using it and the English did not. It's considered obsolete in British English nowadays, but can be used legally.

More info here (quite an interesting read, I hope you agree): http://www.sarahwoodbury.com/on-the-use-of-the-word-gotten
geocycle
Posts: 2177
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 9:46am

Re: Gotten!

Post by geocycle »

vollerama wrote:Hi there,

"Gotten" is, in fact, an ancient English word that was in use in England at the time America was colonized by the English. Over the centuries, the Americans kept on using it and the English did not. It's considered obsolete in British English nowadays, but can be used legally.

More info here (quite an interesting read, I hope you agree): http://www.sarahwoodbury.com/on-the-use-of-the-word-gotten


Very interesting, a linguistic disjunction, where language gets isolated from its mother tongue. The English spoken on Pitcairn is similarly arcane to the 21C ear.
Stradageek
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Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Re: Gotten!

Post by Stradageek »

Well what do you know - I must just be averse to Americanisms

Cheers

Stradageek
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horizon
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Location: Cornwall

Re: Gotten!

Post by horizon »

We've explored the American thing here .....

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=101100

When people object to an Americanism (and it's not because we don't like Americans or America), it's usually pointed out that really it's a long-forgotten local word. Of course, this completely misses the point: it's not that the BBC (or whatever) is suddenly employing lots of Worsel Gummidges from hidden corners of Norfolk. No, the word has bounced back from the modern day US because of a cultural transfer from there to here. By the way, re-brand and refresh are themselves AFAIK Americanisms in a modern context: rebranding would be better and refresh as a noun is marketing speak (or should that be speaking?) pure and simple (or should that be purely and simply?). People say, well that's language, forgetting perhaps that it's also society and economy.

What we are adopting in the UK (from the US) is IMV a transactional society where every interchange between people is reduced to its basic economic content - you get what you pay for. As we adopt the system so we adopt the language that goes with it.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
Stradageek
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Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Re: Gotten!

Post by Stradageek »

Nicely put Horizon, I spy a kindred spirit :D
Bicycler
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Re: Gotten!

Post by Bicycler »

It used to jar terribly whenever I read it. Now it has become so common that I barely notice it. I have noticed that Vorpal uses it quite frequently, but then she's allowed to :)

I recall that one of my teachers really disliked "have got". He was fighting a losing battle with that one.
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