Incorrect usage of the word "get"

guest   Fri Aug 08, 2008 8:35 pm GMT
<<She turned pregnant
She became pregnant.
She got pregnant.
She was pregnant.
>>

<<She turned sick.
She became sick.
She got sick.
She was sick. >>

only these two really work in all cases, yet the meaning is not 100% exactly the same, but the general meaning is the same. It's a usage difference mostly
Guest   Sat Aug 09, 2008 9:15 am GMT
Also, the verb 'to go' is used in some cases i.e.

She went red
Guest   Sat Aug 09, 2008 9:54 am GMT
get (gHt) v. got (gmt), got·ten (gmtùn) or got, get·ting, gets. — v. intr. 1. a. To become or grow to be: eventually
got well. b. To be successful in coming or going: When will we get to New York?
2. To be able or permitted: never got to see Europe; finally got to work at home.
3. a. To be successful in becoming: get free of a drug problem. b. Used with the
past participle of transitive verbs as a passive voice auxiliary: got stuck in the elevator.
c. To become drawn in, entangled, or involved: got into debt; get into a hassle.
4. Informal. To depart immediately: yelled at the dog to get. 5. To work for
gain or profit; make money: puts all his energy into getting and spending. — n.
1. a. The act of begetting. b. Progeny; offspring. 2. Sports. A return in tennis
on a shot that seems impossible to reach. —


The American Heritage Dictionary
JIm Dixon   Sat Aug 09, 2008 9:53 pm GMT
I'm 93 years old and I use the forms with "was" more often than those with "get", though I do sometimes use forms with "get". However, "to get pregnant" is certainly different from "to be pregnant". You can say that she was pregnant three months ago yet that's not when she got pregnant.
Uriel   Sat Aug 09, 2008 10:10 pm GMT
True -- to "get" pregnant usually refers to the actual moment of conception. Very different from just "being" pregnant, which refers to the next nine months.
Matthew   Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:54 pm GMT
Well, I don't like American "can I get a coffee?" in fast food outlets. My answer would be, "no, customers cannot serve themselves. You tell me what you need and I will get it for you". What they mean is "could I have?" or "may I have" etc. Get means: physically going to get something. It doesn't mean having someone else bring it to you. Can I get a coffee means can I go and serve myself and get it.
Guest   Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:13 pm GMT
-Can I get a coffee means can I go and serve myself and get it.-
not in the US

You may say ''Can I have a shower?'' is wrong too.
You can't have it. It's hotel's property LOL, you can take it for some minutes tho'
Matthew   Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:16 pm GMT
Guest, you merely confirm that American English is the basilect.
Travis   Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:33 pm GMT
No, you just confirm that you are, unfortunately, just yet another British chauvinist who seems to have this idea that the British "own" English...
gUEST   Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:04 pm GMT
<<You may say ''Can I have a shower?'' is wrong too.
You can't have it. It's hotel's property LOL, you can take it for some minutes tho'>>

No, the shower is the hotel's property, so you can't have it or take it. You should say "can I use the shower?" For some reason, so many people make the mistake to say that they're "having a shower" or "taking a shower" when they're not.