English linguistic question

bartman (Bart) · #1 18-02-2011, 01:33 AM

Lately I have been bugged by the question of the use of the word 'good' and 'well' in sentences in tv shows and movies.
For example:
Upon completing something, the actor says " you've done good".
Shouldn't it be " you've done well" ?
( if you put ' killing those xxxx's' after the quote , it makes more sense)
I think it has become prevalent lately in movies and the like ( news stories et al) and not sure if it is correct English grammar.
Just like Cookies instead of Biscuits???? WTF?
I'm not from an English background......
.......but has anybody seen/heard the same
Is it Americanism?
No offence to the US of A.
Could someone/body let me know if I am on the right track?

Cheers
Bratmna

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #2 18-02-2011, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartman

Could someone/body let me know if I am on the right track?

Cheers
Bratmna

Bart,

Your worrying about the use of 'good' and 'well' but you can't even spell your own name

Check how you signed off

GeoffW1 (Geoff) · #3 18-02-2011, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Bart,

Your worrying about the use of 'good' and 'well' but you can't even spell your own name

Check how you signed off

Ken,

That should be spelt "You're worrying......"

Sorry, sorry, could not resist

Cheers

GeoffW1 (Geoff) · #4 18-02-2011, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartman

Upon completing something, the actor says " you've done good".

Shouldn't it be " you've done well" ?

Cheers
Bratmna

Bart,

Yes. That usage of "good" is just slang, or bad grammar if you like. It might be a creeping Americanism,

as it seems to have originated in the Andy Griffith Show.

Cheers

bartman (Bart) · #5 18-02-2011, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Bart,

Your worrying about the use of 'good' and 'well' but you can't even spell your own name

Check how you signed off

On Purpose!!!!!! Just to see if anyone would take the bait!!!

GOTCHA!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffW1

Ken,

That should be spelt "You're worrying......"

Sorry, could not resist

Cheers

Sorry Geoff.... mmmm I think it might be "spelled" not spelt.... or are you doing my trick????

couldn't resist either.....

Bartman

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #6 18-02-2011, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartman

Sorry Geoff.... mmmm I think it might be "spelled" not spelt.... or are you doing my trick????

couldn't resist either.....

Bartman

Spelt is English, spelled is American.

bartman (Bart) · #7 18-02-2011, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffW1

Bart,

Yes. That usage of "good" is just slang, or bad grammar if you like. It might be a creeping Americanism,

as it seems to have originated in the Andy Griffith Show.

Cheers

It just sounds bad ( heheheh - wrong). Just like the Sesame Street Cookie Monster

introducing the Cookie.....

Even if it is slang, what will become of G'day Mate..... Will it become " yo yo yo wazzzz suppp"

Bartman

bartman (Bart) · #8 18-02-2011, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Spelt is English, spelled is American.

Cheers Ken....
Did not know that...
Always trying to figure out American and English spellink

Bartman
Ps:
how does this compute?
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=e...g&ved=0CBUQkAE
which doesn't show a def of the word in the context of what we r talking about
So I assume the web is Americanized

( see the zee...spell check)

ngcles · #9 18-02-2011, 02:20 AM

Hi Bartman & All,

Agree with the others it is simply poor grammar. We're all guilty of it sometimes.

Here is another example that has been particularly prevalent (and I've found particularly funny) in the media lately regarding the use of the word "evacuated" -- with respect to the natural disasters in Queensland. The ABC have been the worst offenders of all. The report or newsreader usually runs along this line:

"More than 150 people were evacuated in Ipswich today as floodwaters -- etc etc"

Well, unless someone is up there in Ipswich with a huge vacuum pump attaching it to a convenient body orafice and is sucking the contents out of these 150 people, it is in error.

It is correct to say that 150 people were evacuated from Ipswich, or to another place or, from an area etc. People aren't "evacuated" except in the sense that they are evacuated to or from -- it is the area (or volume) that is evacuated, not people! Made me titter ever time I heard it. I laughed quite a lot during that period -- must have heard it a dozen times!

Best,

Les D

GeoffW1 (Geoff) · #10 18-02-2011, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartman

On Purpose!!!!!! Just to see if anyone would take the bait!!!

GOTCHA!!!

Sorry Geoff.... mmmm I think it might be "spelled" not spelt.... or are you doing my trick????

couldn't resist either.....

Bartman

Hi,

We are in a whirlpool

of grammar.

But no trick, it was quite deliberate. "Spelt" is generally the Old English form, which I like using. "Spelled" is reported as more common in America.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spelt

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question...7021034AAxvE0r

This is evidently one of those words though where either form is acceptable really, at least in the context I used it.

Cheers

GeoffW1 (Geoff) · #11 18-02-2011, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartman

an English spellink

Bartman

sneaky

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #12 18-02-2011, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartman

Even if it is slang, what will become of G'day Mate..... Will it become " yo yo yo wazzzz suppp"

Bartman

Already has.
About 80% of the teenagers I know say 'sup' instead of G'day or how ya goin'.

Even my 2 sons (15 and 18) are starting to say it too much.

bartman (Bart) · #13 18-02-2011, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ngcles

Hi Bartman & All,

We're all guilty of it sometimes.

Les D

Yo so tru.

Bartman

OICURMT · #14 18-02-2011, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ngcles

Well, unless someone is up there in Ipswich with a huge vacuum pump attaching it to a convenient body orafice and is sucking the contents out of these 150 people, it is in error.

People aren't "evacuated" except in the sense that they are evacuated to or from -- it is the area (or volume) that is evacuated, not people!

Can you say "enema"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Already has.
About 80% of the teenagers I know say 'sup' instead of G'day or how ya goin'.

Even my 2 sons (15 and 18) are starting to say it too much.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Sup

Love the first definition ...

bartman (Bart) · #15 18-02-2011, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

G'day

When I worked at Cable Beach Club in Broome, I was told to say "G'Day" to each guest I walked past ( back in the early 90's)

Bartman

wavelandscott (Scott) · #16 18-02-2011, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffW1

Bart,

Yes. That usage of "good" is just slang, or bad grammar if you like. It might be a creeping Americanism,

as it seems to have originated in the Andy Griffith Show.

Cheers

Yes, it is a from the USA and comes from a "regional" dialect in the Southern US of A.

The Andy Griffith Show would be a a good older example but more recently Larry "The Cableguy" (voice of Tow-mater in Cars and Comedy Stylist) with his famous tag "Git R Done" would be another more recent example.

The original would actually be better represented as "Yuh done good" (along with Y'all Come Back Now, Yuh Hear; from Jed Clampett's closing of the Beverly Hillbillys show)...Yuh and Y'all are key vocabulary words of the South...

As a person who grew up speaking a variation of the "Southern Dialect" (my wife often refers to me as Gomer Pyle, another Mayberry resident) I am amazed how far it's influence is now felt.

Jus Sumpin bout Sounding Stoopid that I Reckon people find appealing ...

Waxing_Gibbous (Peter) · #17 18-02-2011, 04:37 AM

"You've done good" sounds bad, but is, in fact, good.
If you are referring to a meritorious action.
If you had saved an orphanage from bankruptcy somone might well approach you and say "Bartman, You've done good". As opposed to doing bad.
However (and you are now allowed to begin sentences with "however"),
one is reffering to the quality of your actions, then "You've done well" is the approptiate plaudit. "You've done badly" or "poorly", would be the opposite.
If one mixes the former with the latter, then one is just a hillbilly.

mithrandir (Andrew) · #18 18-02-2011, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartman

Sorry Geoff.... mmmm I think it might be "spelled" not spelt.... or are you doing my trick????

Spell \Spell\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spelled} or {Spelt}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Spelling}.] [OE. spellen, spellien, tell, relate, AS. spellian, fr. spell a saying, tale; akin to MHG. spellen to relate, Goth. spill?n.e {Spell} a tale. In sense 4 and those following, OE. spellen, perhaps originally a different word, and from or influenced by spell a splinter, from the use of a piece of wood to point to the letters in schools: cf. D. spellen to spell. Cf. {Spell} splinter.]

...
4. To tell or name in their proper order letters of, as a word; to write or print in order the letters of, esp. the proper letters; to form, as words, by correct orthography.

The word "satire" ought to be spelled with i, and not with y. --Dryden.

Either acceptable, but spelled more closely follows the root word. Also to confuse those who can not tell the difference between parts of speech:

spelt
n : hardy wheat grown mostly in Europe for livestock feed [syn: {Triticum spelta}, {Triticum aestivum spelta}]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffW1

Ken,

That should be spelt "You're worrying......"

Go Team Apostrophe Man !

strongmanmike (Michael) · #19 18-02-2011, 09:13 AM

Oh man, what about "I went and got them ones" and "You's guys" and "I done that"

I work in a warehouse and hear this everyday

Mike

gregbradley · #20 18-02-2011, 09:40 AM

Yes but if you understand it and communication occurred was it an error?

Grammar and language are all about communication and is an evolving changing thing. If communication occurred then I don't see it as an error.

Otherwaze we would all still be talkin exactly like Inglish 600 years ago or more. Hehehe

Greg,