[Grammar] My parents have gotten married in Paris

[risorgimento]

Hi,

Apparently the first of the following sentences is incorrect while the second one is correct. Can anyone explain this, please?

1) My parents have gotten married in Paris.
2) My parents have bought a car in Paris.

 

[Mehrgan]

Hi,

Apparently the first of the following sentences is incorrect while the second one is correct. Can anyone explain this, please?

1) My parents have gotten married in Paris.
2) My parents have bought a car in Paris.

The second sentence is given as a piece of news, which is why a present perfect is used. However, in the first sentence, the action was completed long ago, as the speaker is the child of those parents. I'd say, 'My dad has married again!' when I wanted to inform others of this, as a piece of news.

Let's look forward to better replies.

 

[Mehrgan]

Gil

:up: Sorry, you already answered the question when I was posting mine!

 

[5jj]

Whatever the situation, 'have gotten married' is not acceptable in BrE.

 

[probus]

Whatever the situation, 'have gotten married' is not acceptable in BrE.

I was going to remark on that too. When I was in London people scoffed at my use of the word gotten. They said the word did not exist. It is a pure Americanism but standard on this side of the pond.

 

[bhaisahab]

I was going to remark on that too. When I was in London people scoffed at my use of the word gotten. They said the word did not exist. It is a pure Americanism but standard on this side of the pond.

It's not a "pure Americanism" it was commonly used in England until the 18th century.

 

[probus]

Does gotten survive in the UK in the stock phrase ill-gotten gains? Or anywhere else?

 

[5jj]

Does gotten survive in the UK in the stock phrase ill-gotten gains? Or anywhere else?

I can think only of that expression, which we have in BrE. We have, of course forget - forgotten, and the only begotten son.

 

[nyota]

1) My parents have gotten married in Paris.
If you are trying to write that your parents were married in Paris some time ago - My parents got married in Paris.
If your parents recently married - My parents have gotten married in Paris.
If your parents married in the recent past - My parents have just gotten married in Paris.

I don't quite get what the difference between recently and recent past is. But if I had to differentiate between the two, this is how I'd picture the way I understand them:

recently ------------------x-----now ---------------->
recent past -----------x---------now----------------->

At the same time, just in the setence: My parents have just got married in Paris points to me to the more recent action which would collide with what Gil said. Is it that I understand the terms recently and recent past the other way round?

My parents have got married in Paris. ---------x--------now------------>
My parents have just got married in Paris. ----------x----now ----------->

 

[nyota]

"just" here is used if an action happened not too long ago.
I got my promotion to major last week.
I just got my promotion to major this morning.

Yep, I understand how just works. I just didn't realise the phrase recent past means 'more recent' than recently.

My parents have got married in Paris. ---------x--------now------------> recently
My parents have just got married in Paris. ----------x----now -----------> recent past

Thanks!

At the same time, just in the setence: My parents have just got married in Paris points to me to the more recent action which would collide with what Gil said. Is it that I should understand the terms recently and recent past the other way round? Yes.

1. I understand the terms the other way round (just informing what it's like, not what it 'should' be like). - Is it incorrect to say that?
2. And now I should change that.

BTW, understand something wrong or understand something wrongly?
Did I understand it wrong/ly? Is it even natural to say that? :roll:
Did I get it wrong? Perhaps this way?

 

[bhaisahab]

Yep, I understand how just works. I just didn't realise the phrase recent past means 'more recent' than recently.

My parents have got married in Paris. ---------x--------now------------> recently
My parents have just got married in Paris. ----------x----now -----------> recent past

Thanks!




1. I understand the terms the other way round (just informing what it's like, not what it 'should' be like). - Is it incorrect to say that?
2. And now I should change that.

BTW, understand something wrong or understand something wrongly?
Did I understand it wrong/ly? Is it even natural to say that? :roll:
Did I get it wrong? Perhaps this way?

"Did I understand it wrongly" is perfect.

 

[Rover_KE]

I can think only of that expression, which we have in BrE. We have, of course forget - forgotten, and the only begotten son.

. . . and misbegotten.