Gotten or Got

Thanks for a reminder all the other things that English teachers banned! I wonder if it was part of their training?

I think I have heard "gotten" used in speech. Usually for something like "I've just gotten over flu"

Gotten, according to Oxford English Dictionary, was first used in 1382, from the Anglo Saxons. Used in King James Bible. Any one for a pub quiz!!

It’s used quite commonly in the north east of Scotland, and not as an imported Americanism.

Redcar

I’m from south east London and have only heard gotten spoken by young people. I also remember being told not to use ‘nice’.

I’m young.

Coming from the black country, gotten was often used in speech. Nothing wrong with it in my humble opinion.

MrJ is from Northern Ireland and lived there for nearly forty years, neither he nor his extensive family use either word

A friend who lives in Cornwall uses gotten but she did live in the US for a while so may have imported it.

biglouis

I can recall it from my childhood in Liverpool people speaking of "gotten wet" and "gotten in trouble". However it was not and expression used by all classes.

maybe from the irish influence there ?
sounds similar to my, gotten hold of. english.stackexchange.com/questions/199544/ive-gotten-better-looking-as-i-get-older-when-did-gotten-re-enter-the-breng

I don't like either in written ( formal) format but I accept that " got" is widely used in speech. The television programme should be " Britain Has Talent , of course. Pedant, moi?

The use of 'gotten' is anathema to me. The teachers at my school in Scotland would have fainted if they even heard that word!
We were not allowed to use the word 'got' at school and I remember the grammar exercises we did to practise alternatives to that word..

People can be snobby about words, as we know.
When DMiL had read Nancy Mitford's noblesse oblige published 1956 she sent her small son, DH, to the newsagent to ask for the Daily Looking Glass. It was her idea of a joke but poor lad!

Language has always and changed and evolved over the centuries. That is why we no longer speak Anglo-Saxon and their literature is read by us only in trasalation.

Foreign words have always been absorbed from Norman French, Danish, and Latin, although not until the 16th century. then there are the words from the mpire bungalow and khaki, to name but two.

Just go with the flow.

I thought ‘gotten’ was used mainly by Americans !

Grammaretto

People can be snobby about words, as we know.
When DMiL had read Nancy Mitford's noblesse oblige published 1956 she sent her small son, DH, to the newsagent to ask for the Daily Looking Glass. It was her idea of a joke but poor lad!

🤣

I know there was a lot of argument about this on Facebook recently. My feeling is that, as it was an English word taken over to America by the early settlers, it can't really be described as an American import. As English evolves all the time there's no reason why an archaic word can't come back into use.

The thing that annoys me far more is the dreadful language in headlines from certain publications on line. People are continually described as making "sweet" gestures or saying a few "sweet" words every time they open their mouths. Women don't have hair any more; they have "locks" or "tresses" which are usually "flowing". They all seem to be writing for 4 year olds,

Redhead56

It’s an Americanism

It was taken to America by early migrants but is no longer in general use here.

I never heard anyone in the Midlands using it nor was it taught in schools as far as I know. However, Midlands dialects and accents vary.

I am not 'snobby' about language use but I am snobbish!

Gotten is an American affectation. Never heard it in Wales……yet

Thanks again everyone for the further replies. Actually I was going to say that "got" was a forbidden word at my school and in front of my mother too (as was nice) but I didn't want to sound like a pedant.

Aveline 😂

The only acceptable use for me is in "ill gotten gains".

flappergirl

Thanks again everyone for the further replies. Actually I was going to say that "got" was a forbidden word at my school and in front of my mother too (as was nice) but I didn't want to sound like a pedant.

Oh yes! Woe betide you if you used the words got or nice in an English essay!

grumppa

The only acceptable use for me is in "ill gotten gains".

Ah yes, the archaic word has remained but only in that expression I believe. I can't think of any others.

Women don't have hair any more; they have "locks" or "tresses" which are usually "flowing". They all seem to be writing for 4 year olds
Oh yes, I got into terrible trouble a while back here on GN for taking issue with a thread about “grey white or silver locks”
I thought hair a acceptable enough word and in no need of a synonym!

Pedants of GN unite! We have nothing to lose but our semi colons!