I don't suppose any British people have me friended...

[seriousfic]

Hey, what's with the word 'I've'? Do you really say "I've" instead of "I've got" or "I have"? What's going on there?

Comments

[mrs-jack-turner.livejournal.com]

Yes we do say I've. We say "I've got" and instead of "I have". Not all the time but it does happen.

[mauders.livejournal.com]

yes, that's what we say, instead of I have...

Not sure in what context you are talking. Doesn't everybody shorten this down?

e.g. I've got a cold
I've been there
I've never seen it

[seriousfic.livejournal.com]

Yes, but do the British say "I've a cold" instead of "I've got a cold"? I saw that on TV Tropes and it's been bugging me.

[mauders.livejournal.com]

Personally I dont, but I guess some people do. It can depend on your dialect as well. Some people speak better english than others and those with 'thicker' accents tend to abreviate more.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Do you mean do the British really say things like:

"I've some tea on the stove if you'd fancy a cup?"

instead of

"I've got (or I have) some tea on the stove if you'd fancy a cup?"

[seriousfic.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Is that how that works?

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I've definitely heard that on British TV before. It tickles me pink every time I hear it!

[mymatedave.livejournal.com]

Sometimes, but only when referring to themselves and it's generally something northeners are more likely to than those in the south like me.

[potatoko.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's a pretty frequently used contraction. We also say would've, should've, you've, they've, he's, she's etc- you do it with the verb "to be", we just do it with the verb "to have" as well. Well, it's not a complicated rule, you just knock out the "ha", effectively.

I'm surprised americans don't do this! What else have you got? Where I'm from, we say the word "youse" as the plural of "you". For instance; "Youse're doin my head in!"

[sienamystic.livejournal.com]

Besides y'all and youse, I'm partial to the Pennsylvania variant yins. "Yins goin' down to the bottle shop for some Yuengling black and tans?"

[pendown.livejournal.com]

I've is short for I have. We sometimes say I've got.

[escapay.livejournal.com]

I think it is something more prevealant in the northern parts of England like where I'm from. It isn't something that is used all the time though.