get vs. receive/become

[Joel S. Berson]

At 9/20/2009 11:40 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>Fifty years ago an English teacher told us, "Never say 'get' when you mean
>'receive' or 'become.'"  That seemed pretty weird at the time and has only
>gotten [sic] weirder.
>
>Yesterday a highly-educated CNN news anchor, age ca40, said (I paraphrase
>slightly): "And we've gotten some feedback....I mean we've recieved some
>feedback. My mother would say, '_Gotten_ ? What kind of language is that?'
>Mom might be listening so I'd better watch my grammar.  We've received
>feedback..."
>
>Is this odd taboo so widespread? So terrifying that a news anchor earning
>nine or ten figures would correct herself on the air and apologize to Mom?
>
>I guess yes.

I would too -- that is, not earn nine or ten figures, but apologize
to Mom.  She was a high school English teacher, and would have told
me the same, also about 50 years ago.

Joel

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