LL-L: "Grammar" LOWLANDS-L, 22.FEB.2000 (01) [E]

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From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Grammar

Dear Lowlanders,

This posting pertains to English.

This weekend I suddenly became aware of my own use of the phrase "to get to
{verb}" because in a certain context I felt I needed to use it several times
in a row.  I immediatly chalked it down to another step "down" the road to
Americanization. ;)  Is it strictly American (and Canadian)?  Or is it more
general or is beginning to take roots in other English dialects?  If not, do
speakers of other dialects understand it?  Does anyone have any idea about its
origin?  I certainly never used it before living in the United States, and I
seem to be using it and various other expression now that I'm beginning to
"slip" (i.e., my resistance is weakened).

I am also wondering about the semantic aspect of "to get to {verb}."  I am
inclined to just translate it as "may" or "to be allowed/permitted to," but I
am not too sure if that really captures it in all cases.  Might it be more
accurate to translate it as "to have the privilege of ...ing" or in some
instances "to have the prerogative of ...ing," or something like that?
Examples:

(1) "You'll get to blow out the candles on your birthday cake after we've sung
'Happy birthday'."

(2) "Jackie gets to sit next to Granpa."

(3) "Remember that it's you who gets to make the decisions from now on."

Perhaps some of you can come up with other examples.

It seems to me that "to get to" is not always freely interchangeable with
"may" and "to be allowed to", though it may be in examples (1) and (2) above.
I'm not so sure about example (3).  Certainly, "may" and "to get to" seem to
connote different shades in examples like these:

(4a) May I help you with your bags?  (= "Am I permitted to ...")
(4b) Do I get to help you with your bags?  (= "Am I granted the privilege of
...ing")

Anyway, I'd welcome your input.

Best regards,

Reinhard/Ron

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