[PLUG-TALK] begging the question

John Jason Jordan johnxj at comcast.net
Mon Oct 5 00:49:21 UTC 2009


On Sun, 4 Oct 2009 13:31:57 -0700
Russell Johnson <russj at dimstar.net> dijo:

> The construct that bugs the hell out of me is 'You've got mail!'.
> 
> If you expand the contraction, it's 'You have got mail!', which does  
> not sound right. At the same time, 'You've mail!', nor 'You got mail!'  
> don't sound right. So, if my grammar is correct, the only correct way  
> would be 'You have mail!'
> 
> Or am I all wet... :)

All of the above expressions are grammatical in one variety of English
or another. What bugs you is that 'You've got mail!' is not grammatical
in your variety. 

Do feel free to speak any way you wish, though. The rest of us all
do. :)

My personal grating expression is 'these ones' and 'those ones,' common
among young people these days. However, I dare not say anything
because, in fact, my variety of English is the one which is illogical.
I can say 'this one' and 'that one,' so why can I not say 'these ones'
and 'those ones'?



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