dialect in novels

[Natalie Maynor]

Larry Horn wrote:
> >Several students said that they never use "gotten" at all -- that for
...
>
> How about in habitual contexts?
> "That's OK, I've gotten D's on tests before."
> "Every time I've eaten at my grandma's I've gotten sick."
> "Whenever I felt this way, I've gotten myself a dog."

Good question.  I'll try to remember to ask them Tuesday.

> I guess I could get "got" here, but only if I recast them in the preterit:
> "Whenever I felt this way, I(*'ve) got myself a dog."

Hmm.  Maybe preterit is expanding, pushing out the 've forms.
   --Natalie Maynor (maynor at ra.msstate.edu)