Dear Hillary,
Several months ago I hit you with a curly one dealing with table manners. You came up with the right answer. Now I have a question on the English Language. Somehow I believe we have been taken over by stealth. Being of the older group, I always used the word “Got”. Now when I read a book the word “Gotten” appears over and over. Which is correct? He had got on the bus, or he had gotten on the bus? I suspect one is English and the other American. Hear from you later?
Bill
Dear Bill,
So where’s my bottle of bubbles for having got (gotten) the right answer before? Now you want me to enter your latest quiz as well! However, you are quite correct, my Petal. The Americans, having been English and taken over the English language with the Mayflower and then proceeded to massacre the purity of communication (along with several scores of Red Indians). However if you think “gotten” is bad, how about the song sung by Lauryn Hill which goes:
“You’re just too good to be true.
Can’t take my eyes off of you.”
What is this “off of” may I ask you, this being your turn to answer the questions, until I get my rewards from last time!
