As long as John goes with you!!!

[zoobinshid]

Hello everybody,
Would you please tell me why in this conversation we have (goes) and not (comes)?

A:Can we go to the movies.
B:As long as John goes with you.

Thanks in advance,

[rewboss]

The situation is obviously this: A is B's child and asking permission for him- or herself and at least one other person.

In the first sentence, the subject is "we". When you use the first person as the subject, "go" implies motion away from the person being addressed. A is addressing B, so A wants to go to a place where B is not located. If A had used "come" in this sentence, it would have meant that B was already at the movies -- perhaps B worked at the cinema.

In the second sentence, the subject is "you". When you use the second person as the subject, "go" implies motion away from yourself. "Come" would mean either motion towards yourself, or that you wish to accompany the person you are talking to.

Look at these alternatives:

A: Can we come to visit you?
B: As long as John comes with you.
(A wants to visit B -> motion towards B, "come" in both cases)

A: Can we go to the park?
B: As long as John comes with us.
(Motion away from where A is -> "go" in the first sentence, but both B and A are going to the park -> "come" in the second sentence.)

[Casiopea]

Additionally, "come" and "go" are deictic. Their usage depends on where the speaker is located.

come <here;close to me>
go <there;not close to me>

A: Can we go <over there> to the movies.
B: As long as John goes <over there> with you.

Also,
A: Can we go <over there> to the movies.
B: As long as John comes <along> with us. (together as a group, we will go <over there>)


Hope that helps.