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Grammar question

Which would you say?

  • "I've not been to the park" and I'm from the US.

    Votes: 3 7.7%
  • "I've not been to the park" and I'm from outside the US.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • "I haven't been to the park" and I'm from the US.

    Votes: 22 56.4%
  • "I haven't been to the park" and I'm from outside the US.

    Votes: 6 15.4%
  • Both are equally fine.

    Votes: 8 20.5%

  • Total voters
    39

amc80

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 18, 2010
Messages
5,765
It's been a while since we've had a good grammar thread. Soooo, here we go. Consider the following (lame) sentence:

"I have not been to the park."

This can potentially be contracted two ways (right?):
1) "I've not been to the park."
2) "I haven't been to the park."

Is one way more correct than the other?

(Yes, I'm bored at work today.)

ETA- added a poll.
 

boerumbiddy

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 15, 2013
Messages
547
No. 1 sounds English, No. 2 sounds American. Just my opinion.
 

amc80

Ideal_Rock
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boerumbiddy|1381445280|3535546 said:
No. 1 sounds English, No. 2 sounds American. Just my opinion.

That is what I thought as well. But whhhyyyy? I know we have some grammar experts on here and a few linguists and such.
 

Kaleigh

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
29,570
Just for fun, #1 would be how the people from the UK would say?? I can just hear Lorelie saying #1 to me.

Just teach me how to spell. Spell check isn't working for me...

:read: ;))
 

Kaleigh

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I will call her tomorrow to ask her!!! :praise:
 

Dancing Fire

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Kaleigh|1381445510|3535551 said:
I will call her tomorrow to ask her!!! :praise:
Is she still alive?.. :bigsmile:
 

Kaleigh

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Dancing Fire|1381446669|3535554 said:
Kaleigh|1381445510|3535551 said:
I will call her tomorrow to ask her!!! :praise:
Is she still alive?.. :bigsmile:

I will send her your love, LOL..
 

Laila619

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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11,676
They are both correct. "I've not been" sounds a bit more, er, stuffy maybe?
 

packrat

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 12, 2008
Messages
10,614
I use both, depending on...nothing other than how it comes out I guess. Maybe in a group setting I'd say "I've" more often? Like one day at work we were all having lunch together and they were talking about a pumpkin patch and someone asked if anyone had been to it, everyone was chiming in. I said "I've not, but it looks fun and I'd like to take the kids". Sometimes I say "We've", "We've not".

Makes me a stuffy Iowan I guess!
 

Dancing Fire

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Laila619|1381448648|3535564 said:
They are both correct. "I've not been" sounds a bit more, er, stuffy maybe?
They are both wrong!. It should be.. "I AIN'T been to the park.. :praise:
 

sonnyjane

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
2,476
I am from the US and picked "I've not been...." If it is a more foreign version of the phrase, it would make sense. I tend to pronounce words in a very "British" fashion even though I have absolutely no reason to lol! This would just be one to add to the list.
 

justginger

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 11, 2009
Messages
3,712
#1 is more formal, #2 less so. Both are correct. I'm guessing many down here would say it the first way, it would be luck of the draw which way I'd say it, though my first instinct would be #2.
 

JewelFreak

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
7,768
Wherever I've lived in the States, it would overwhelmingly be "I haven't been..." (that's New England, northern NY state, Manhattan, the upper South, San Francisco, Chicago area). "I've not been..." is more common in the UK. Neither is incorrect, obviously.

--- Laurie
 

NOYFB

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 16, 2008
Messages
2,649
Laila619|1381448648|3535564 said:
They are both correct. "I've not been" sounds a bit more, er, stuffy maybe?


That's what I thought too, but I have used both..or, I've used both. :wink2:
 
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