Something that really caught my attention was the way most students use the word "got". Very often, we hear students, even university students saying" got" in this manner: I got lots of homework to do. I got lots of project to complete.Numerous times when I receive messages from my project mates, I realize that the word "got" nu I would expect alot more from university students simply because in order to secure a place in a prestigious university like NUS, they must have a certain level of competency in the English Language. Is this an example of Singlish then?
I decided to do a check on the meaning of "get"
MW says:
transitive verb
1 a : to gain possession of b : to receive as a return : earn
2 a : to obtain by concession or entreaty b : to become affected by (a disease or bodily condition) : catch
3 a : to seek out and obtain b : to obtain and bring where wanted or needed
4 : beget
5 a : to cause to come or go b : to cause to move c : to cause to be in a certain position or condition d : to make ready : prepare
6 a : to be subjected to b : to receive by way of punishment c : to suffer a specified injury to
7 a : to achieve as a result of military activity b : to obtain or receive by way of benefit or advantage
8 a : seize b : overcome c : to have an emotional effect on d : irritate e : puzzle f : to take vengeance on; specifically : kill g : hit
9 : to prevail on : cause
10 a : have —used in the present perfect tense form with present meaning b : to have as an obligation or necessity —used in the present perfect tense form with present meaning
11 a : to find out by calculation b : memorize c : hear d : understand
12 : to establish communication with
13 : to put out in baseball
14 : deliver 6b
intransitive verb
1 a : to succeed in coming or going : to bring or move oneself b : to reach or enter into a certain condition c : to make progress
2 : to acquire wealth
3 a : to be able b : to come to be —often used with following present participle
4 a : to succeed in becoming : become b : to become involved
5 : to leave immediately
OED says:
trans. To obtain, procure.
1. a. To obtain possession of (property, etc.) as the result of effort or contrivance.
2. a. To obtain as the proceeds of one's business or employment; to earn.
3. a. To obtain (much, little, nothing, etc.) by way of profit; to be benefited or advantaged to the extent of; to gain.
4. To capture, gain possession of (a fortress, etc.). Obs
5. a. To earn, win, acquire (fame, credit, glory, renown, love, favour, etc.).
Doing a quick check on the concordance sampler, I noticed that there were instances where the word got is primed to colocate with the auxillary verb have.
So for instances we have examples like :
1.) they've got a network of people that they do know
2.)you've got a fine er upper torso of hair
3.) you've got a neck a chin and a mouth and a nose
4.)I've got no driving faults,
Now, contrast this with examples where the word got does not have to collocate with auxillary have.
1.) I got a cake for my mother on her birthday.
2.) The boys got 2 pencils from their teacher.
3.) I got 3 presents from my classmates .
Now, relating the comparison above, what can we say about the use of "got" in I got 3 projects to do. Intuitively, I know that this sentence is not only grammatically wrong but semantically odd as well. Rather, we should say: I 've got lots of projects to do. Wwould you also consider this as Singlish ? For me , I would.
I decided to do a check on the meaning of "get"
MW says:
transitive verb
1 a : to gain possession of b : to receive as a return : earn
2 a : to obtain by concession or entreaty
3 a : to seek out and obtain
4 : beget
5 a : to cause to come or go
6 a : to be subjected to
7 a : to achieve as a result of military activity b : to obtain or receive by way of benefit or advantage
8 a : seize b : overcome c : to have an emotional effect on
9 : to prevail on : cause
10 a : have —used in the present perfect tense form with present meaning
11 a : to find out by calculation
12 : to establish communication with
13 : to put out in baseball
14 : deliver 6b
intransitive verb
1 a : to succeed in coming or going : to bring or move oneself
2 : to acquire wealth
3 a : to be able
4 a : to succeed in becoming : become
5 : to leave immediately
OED says:
trans. To obtain, procure.
1. a. To obtain possession of (property, etc.) as the result of effort or contrivance.
2. a. To obtain as the proceeds of one's business or employment; to earn.
3. a. To obtain (much, little, nothing, etc.) by way of profit; to be benefited or advantaged to the extent of; to gain.
4. To capture, gain possession of (a fortress, etc.). Obs
5. a. To earn, win, acquire (fame, credit, glory, renown, love, favour, etc.).
Doing a quick check on the concordance sampler, I noticed that there were instances where the word got is primed to colocate with the auxillary verb have.
So for instances we have examples like :
1.) they've got a network of people that they do know
2.)you've got a fine er upper torso of hair
3.) you've got a neck a chin and a mouth and a nose
4.)I've got no driving faults,
Now, contrast this with examples where the word got does not have to collocate with auxillary have.
1.) I got a cake for my mother on her birthday.
2.) The boys got 2 pencils from their teacher.
3.) I got 3 presents from my classmates .
Now, relating the comparison above, what can we say about the use of "got" in I got 3 projects to do. Intuitively, I know that this sentence is not only grammatically wrong but semantically odd as well. Rather, we should say: I 've got lots of projects to do. Wwould you also consider this as Singlish ? For me , I would.
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