Need help with a "gotten" issue in negative form in english

Question

Ok. I am still having a problem with a "gotten" issue in negative form in english. I still wonder how and when to use it? Is it equivalent (and both correct) to say:

"The embroidered part is complete but I just have not gotten to piecing the blocks."

and

"The embroidered part is complete but I have not got to piecing the blocks."

Is there any main difference between them? Hope you can help me with this. Each time I try to use it my head goes to a blank space Thanks! Marissa

Answer 1

Gotten is the past participle of to get, so your first example is correct. You'll hear the second example in some places, but it's not technically correct.

Actually (and I was surprised), got can be the past participle, too. - webdunce, Dec 22, 2010

I think that's mainly British. - Sabor, Dec 22, 2010

You're right, that is surprising. I do believe Sabor may be right in that it's regional. - KevinB, Dec 22, 2010

Answer 2

I prefer "gotten" there. I think the majority of us will use "gotten." Some English speakers will use "got."

The source of confusion is likely the fact that the past of get is got, but the past participle may be either got or gotten. (Source: the definition of get).

Answer 3

I have not gotten around to . . The around to is an important part of this phrasal verb. Otherwise, your listener will wonder if you haven't been allowed to piece: I have not gotten to . . .

Answer 4

Try this explanation Marisa

"Gotten" is the old past participle, which is still commonly used in America. "Gotten" is, strictly speaking, the past tense, but in British English - and, I believe, in the English of most other English-speaking countries, "got" has now superceded "gotten" as the past participle, so that "I have got" is the standard form.

Furthermore, where it is used in America, "I have gotten" tends to be used in the sense of "I have obtained"/"I have received" ("I have gotten a letter") or "I have become" - ("I have gotten used to that"); where it is used in the sense of "I have", "I've got" seems standard usage on both sides of the Atlantic (although American English uses "I have" more often than British English does: ("I have a book" v "I've got a book".)

My (Ian's) comment. Whatever is said don't worry about it too much - most native speakers won't even notice if you said "got" or "gotten"

Here in the U S 'I haven't got to piecing...' would definitely be a regional thing, often accompanied with a deep southern accent, though everyone would understand it. - KevinB, Dec 22, 2010

Sounds like you're recommending UK/Canadian word pronounced with a southern accent. :) - Sabor, Dec 22, 2010

I couldn't do a southern drawl even I tried Sabor :) - ian-hill, Dec 23, 2010

Answer 5

¡Hola! a todos:

My dictionary has this to say:

Got - the past tense OR past participle of 'get'

Gotten - U.S. the past participle of 'get'

I take it from this that it is simply another U.S/U.K language difference. Naturally, and as I have said before, Canadians (I am Canadian) will usually come down on the side of the Brits as Canada continues to resist the encroachment of the USofA past Canada's southern border. Oh, sorry, I'm back on my dumb soap-box. Forgive that little aside. Get real Moe!

O.K. so, it appears to me that either 'got' or 'gotten' is correct depending on which model of the English language you subscribe to. What do others think?

Muchos saludos/Best regards

For most of us, the way we speak is part of our heritage and we need to subscribe to the model that reflects it. - Sabor, Dec 22, 2010