Gotten

I am rather new to the world of computers and the internet so I shall be absolutely amazed if this succeeds.
Can I ask about the word "gotten"?. I can honestly say I have never used the word "gotten" and was surprised to hear it used by another member at the club last weekend. I am intrigued to know who uses the word.

American English speakers. "Gotten" as in "forgotten". I'm surprised you'd never heard of it before.

GEOFFREY:

Where do you live? If you are American, you must have heard it many times. If you aren't, you must have heard about it, too. That comes up ever so often in films / song lyrics. I'm rather surprised you haven't heard it yet.

P.S. Oh, sorry...you are not likely to be American since your name is spelt as "Geoffrey" and not "Jeffrey". That seems to be typically British. Or is this spelling used in the US, too? I don't know because I'm not American. :-)

Cheers,
Liz

Oh...you are from the South!!! Well, then I can understand your problems. The use of "gotten" is not *that* typical down there... :-)

By the way...not to be presumptious, but are you a nobleman or suchlike? Your posh hyphenated family name gives the impression that you are...

A hyphenated family name doesn't necessarily indicate nobility. I have a hyphenated name and I'm not noble.

My goodness!. I have some replies.
I have heard people use "gotten" on the television but never by any of the chaps and ladies round here.

Liz:
As you have surmised I am not American and I live in the South of England.

People often spell my first name incorrectly. Can I blame the Americans? ;-). (I do hope those symbols have the intended meaning)

As for my surname you are correct in part. Alas, I am not directly in line for any title. There is an alternative. It is believed the Louis part stems from French aristocracy. My chums and I could invade France and restore the Monarchy.

Thank you
Geoffrey

<<A hyphenated family name doesn't necessarily indicate nobility. I have a hyphenated name and I'm not noble.>>

Yes, because you are American. Are you...? (I'm not sure about that.)
But usually, it DOES indicate nobility in Britain.

<<My chums and I could invade France and restore the Monarchy.>>
LOL!

<<Thank you>>

GEOFFREY:

It was my pleasure. :-)

By the way, you have chosen the correct emoticon or whatever. ;-)

I have a hyphenated surname, and I am nobility! I am the Earl of Hampshire to be precise.

I've always wondered how Geoff came to be pronounced "Jeff" not "Joff".

To Liz-

My experience is that "got" (and get, gotten, etc.) is used extremely frequently in the South (I'm from Texas) lol

In some dialects it is pronounced "Joff".

<<To Liz-

My experience is that "got" (and get, gotten, etc.) is used extremely frequently in the South (I'm from Texas) lol>>

LOL! You're right...I wasn't precise enough! :-) :-) :-)

<<I've always wondered how Geoff came to be pronounced "Jeff" not "Joff">>

You should meet my friend St John. I have never understood why we say Sinjun.

>>
My experience is that "got" (and get, gotten, etc.) is used extremely frequently in the South (I'm from Texas) lol <<

It's used extremely frequently everywhere in North America. First of all, you have to realize that we use "got" and "gotten" completely differently than you guys on the other side of the pond do.

Here's sort of a translation
North American English vs British English
I have a pen = I've got a pen
I've got a pen* = I've got a pen (*this is rarer than the one above)
I got a pen = I received a pen.
I have gotten a pen (from my Uncle Mike) = I have received a pen.
I've gotten perfect grades three years in a row = I have received perfect marks? three years in a row.
-----

As you can see, "I've gotten" simply means "I have received." We use "I've got" in the same way that you do, but we generally prefer "I have" to "I've got". "I got" on the other hand means "I received". It can also mean "I have", but that is considered not "good" English.

Thank you. This has been most enlightening.

I have another question but this is probably the wrong forum for it. I will ask it anyway because there seems to be a few Americans contributing to this forum who will know the answer.

I watched a show called "The Daily Show" last night for the first time and I would like to know if the host is a Democrat supporter or does he simply attack whoever is in Government?.

Also, does anyone in America care if us Brits sneak out of Iraq while you are putting more people in there?.