"I've got to be to work in less than an hour."
Shouldn't it be "....at work...."?
Yes. In Ireland, for example, I've heard a native speaker say 'It's to work I am'. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, much of the population of Ireland migrated to the USA. Your American speaker may have had that background. But Ireland may not be the only source (in fact, I'm pretty sure it isn't ;-)).Why would a person say that? Is that a regionalism?
Yes. In Ireland, for example, I've heard a native speaker say 'It's to work I am'. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, much of the population of Ireland migrated to the USA. Your American speaker may have had that background. But Ireland may not be the only source (in fact, I'm pretty sure it isn't ;-)).
b
This (the first words) is reminiscent of the Latin in, which I blogged about here.In the Irish language "ag" means "to" or "at" depending on the context. So, "ag obair" can mean "at work" or "to work". "Bheith ag obair agam" (I am at work) literally is "The state/condition of being at/to work is mine/with me".