"Been" in AmEng

[metal56]

I'm told that the "here" is necessary/cannot be omitted in AmEng in the following question:

Has the mailman been (here)?

Is that true?

----------------

In BrEng, one would normally hear:

Has the postman been?

[Lorikeet]

I'm told that the "here" is necessary/cannot be omitted in AmEng in the following question:

Has the mailman been (here)?

Is that true?

----------------

In BrEng, one would normally hear:

Has the postman been?

I would never say that sentence without the "here." I might say, "Has the mailman come yet?" And in fact, I would probably say, "Did you get the mail yet?" or "Did the mailman come yet?" or "Did the mail arrive?"

[lolwhites]

Of course, it would be perfectly possible to say Has the postman been here? in BrEng but the meaning would be slightly different. To me, it sounds like what a suspicious husband would ask his wife. Has the postman been? simply means has he delivered any letters?

Where did that footprint on the stairs come from? Has the postman been here again?

[JuanTwoThree]

"been" seems to mean "gone/come to a place and done what is usually done there by that person".

You could use it in BrE with any number of tradespersons:

"The ___man's/woman's been, I see"

Or of staff: "Mrs Brown hasn't been. Nothing's been touched".

At my posh prep school (private and often boarding school from 8 to 13 years old in BrE) we were asked every night "Have you been?" and if you hadn't "been" for three days (they kept a record!) you were given a dose of something to make sure you'd "go" (to a place and do what you usually do there)

[metal56]

"been" seems to mean "gone/come to a place and done what is usually done there by that person".

I agree. Here "delivered", "visited", etc..

[metal56]

I'm told that the "here" is necessary/cannot be omitted in AmEng in the following question:

Has the mailman been (here)?

Is that true?

----------------

In BrEng, one would normally hear:

Has the postman been?

I would never say that sentence without the "here." I might say, "Has the mailman come yet?" And in fact, I would probably say, "Did you get the mail yet?" or "Did the mailman come yet?" or "Did the mail arrive?"

Thanks.

[wilderson]

I would never say that sentence without the "here."

I concur and was born and have lived 92.3% of my life in the U.S.

[elodde]

In America we would require here.

British Eng is different (we would never say something like "did do" either) so it may work there, but not here.

[metal56]

In America we would require here.

British Eng is different (we would never say something like "did do" either) so it may work there, but not here.

Thanks.

[oceanbreeze]

I'm told that the "here" is necessary/cannot be omitted in AmEng in the following question:

Has the mailman been (here)?

Is that true?

----------------

In BrEng, one would normally hear:

Has the postman been?

I would never say that sentence without the "here." I might say, "Has the mailman come yet?" And in fact, I would probably say, "Did you get the mail yet?" or "Did the mailman come yet?" or "Did the mail arrive?"

Is it possible to say: "Did you get the mail yet?" or "Did the mailman come yet?"? I surely don't think so!

[lolwhites]

Is it possible to say: "Did you get the mail yet?" or "Did the mailman come yet?"? I surely don't think so!

I've heard Americans and Canadians say Did you...yet? but wouldn't expect to hear it in British English. I don't know if Australians, New Zealanders or South Africans would say it. Actually, I don't think any Antipodeans post here, which is a shame.

[JuanTwoThree]

Google "did you finish yet" and you'll see numerous examples. All US English I'd guess.

[elodde]

Is it possible to say: "Did you get the mail yet?" or "Did the mailman come yet?"? I surely don't think so!

It is amazing how ignorant people are to the world's Englishes, though we are all pretty sure based on our own what is correct or incorrect.

Yes these would be a sentence we would use in America. I ask my boyfriend everyday "Did you get the mail yet?"

[Stephen Jones]

"did do" gets over 4 million hits on Google, the majority from American sites.

You shouldn't trust your intuition when it comes to saying something is not used.

[Amy_H]

Hi all

Americans use the words yet and already quite regularly with the simple past tense.

Amy