English question

[Hans Deventer]

Every now and then, I stumble upon phrases that do make me wonder if I really get them.

In U2's song "One", Bono has this line: "We get to carry each other".

In "U2 by U2" he writes that he purposely wrote "get" in stead of "got". I'm not really sure if I understand the difference. So I'll try to explain what I think it is and you can correct me, right?

If you "got to carry", it is something you have to do, must do, like a burden, a duty.

If you "get to carry" it is like it has been given you to do, it is not so much a duty as it is something inherent in life, in life's purpose.

Would that be the difference?

[John Kennedy]

I agree. It conveys the idea of 'carrying' being a privilege rather than some burdensome obligation.

[Wilson L. Deaton]

Every now and then, I stumble upon phrases that do make me wonder if I really get them.

In U2's song "One", Bono has this line: "We get to carry each other".

In "U2 by U2" he writes that he purposely wrote "get" in stead of "got". I'm not really sure if I understand the difference. So I'll try to explain what I think it is and you can correct me, right?

If you "got to carry", it is something you have to do, must do, like a burden, a duty.

If you "get to carry" it is like it has been given you to do, it is not so much a duty as it is something inherent in life, in life's purpose.

Would that be the difference?

In this context "get" would be even more positive. It would a privilege.

"I''ve got to go to work," as opposed to, "I get to go to the football game."

Wilson

[Barbara Moulton]

"Got to" implies duty.
"Get to" implies privilege.

[Gary Swartzlander]

Since I don't know the context of the line within the song, it seems to me that it could be a "past tense" vs "future tense" use of the words.

But then again, I really didn't pay attention in english class.

[Barbara Moulton]

Since I don't know the context of the line within the song, it seems to me that it could be a "past tense" vs "future tense" use of the words.

But then again, I really didn't pay attention in english class.

Ahhh...you are right. I was thinking both were in the present tense, that's why I gave the got/duty:get/privilege response.

But you are right.

Got would mean privilege if it was speaking in the past.

So, past tense: "I got to go to the baseball game" - privilege.
But, present tense: "I got to go to the meeting" - duty.

Only you would probably say I've got to go to the meeting.

Clear as mud Hans?

[Marsha Lynn]

Since I don't know the context of the line within the song, it seems to me that it could be a "past tense" vs "future tense" use of the words.

But then again, I really didn't pay attention in english class.

I read it as a tense change, too, Gary. It should be "we've (we have) got to carry each other" if it is meant to be an obligation.

I think if you pay attention in English class, you'll simply learn that "got" is not ever the correct word. Here's what my (World Book) dictionary says.

got: a past tense and a past participle of get

>Have got or has got is sometimes used for have or has otherwise used alone, as in showing obligation: I've got to study now. or with the meaning of "own, possess"" Have you got a pencil? In speech, got was added because have almost disappears when unstressed. But in writing, where one can see each word, got is often avoided as unnecessary.

Of course, there's always the possibility that Bono meant to say that he chose "we get" as in privilege over "we've got" as in obligation and the unstressed have disappeared even in print.

:basic03

Marsha

[John Kennedy]

Many of my students during 36 years in the business had a great fondness for "gots" as in "I gots to do this.....". In the battle against ignorance you never want to look back. As Satchel Paige said, "They may be gainin' on you."

[Laurie Florence]

If you "got to carry", it is something you have to do, must do, like a burden, a duty.

If you "get to carry" it is like it has been given you to do, it is not so much a duty as it is something inherent in life, in life's purpose.

Would that be the difference?

U2 is my favorite band. I think Bono is an awesome poet! I understand Bono's meaning of this phrase to be that it is a privilege, not a burden, to be there for others. It's one of the most noble pursuits in life.
Blessings,
Laurie

[David Cash]

I would see the difference between get and got as between past and present tense.

But the two words can either mean privilege or obligation, and generally, you are more likely to see "got" in relation to the obligation and "get" in relation to the privilege.

"I get to go to church Sunday," means it's my privilege. "I got to go to church Sunday," can mean it was my privilege in the past.

On the other hand, and I hope this isn't any of our attitudes, "I have got to go to church Sunday," would mean I didn't really want to go, but was obligated to. In informal speech, we might drop the "have" and just say "I got to go to church Sunday," meaning obligation, but it really would be poor grammar. The past tense for "I have got to..." would be "I had to go to church Sunday." The obligation is there, without the word got.

Hope that makes sense.

Hans, your mastery of the English language really impresses me. It is usually impossible to tell from your writing that you aren't a native English speaker.

David Cash

[Barry Clarke]

I tend to agree that Bono is communicating the idea of privilege

[Hans Deventer]

Since I don't know the context of the line within the song, it seems to me that it could be a "past tense" vs "future tense" use of the words.

But then again, I really didn't pay attention in english class.

The context would be as follows:

One love, one blood, one life
You got to do what you should
One life with each other
Sisters, brothers
One life but we're not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other
One
One

I don't think it is a past/future tense issue

(And Gary, I didn't pay too much attention either. I learned the basics there. The rest is from reading books and NazNet, listening to music)

[Hans Deventer]

For those who want to see and hear the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKErbptMWu0&mode=related&search=

[Mark Doble]

Every now and then, I stumble upon phrases that do make me wonder if I really get them.

In U2's song "One", Bono has this line: "We get to carry each other".

In "U2 by U2" he writes that he purposely wrote "get" in stead of "got". I'm not really sure if I understand the difference. So I'll try to explain what I think it is and you can correct me, right?

If you "got to carry", it is something you have to do, must do, like a burden, a duty.

If you "get to carry" it is like it has been given you to do, it is not so much a duty as it is something inherent in life, in life's purpose.

Would that be the difference?

He is talking, "get", as present tense. "Got", is past tense. :)

[David Cash]

The context would be as follows:

One love, one blood, one life
You got to do what you should
One life with each other
Sisters, brothers
One life but we're not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other
One
One

I don't think it is a past/future tense issue

(And Gary, I didn't pay too much attention either. I learned the basics there. The rest is from reading books and NazNet, listening to music)

Can't say for sure what he means, but my instinct is that the first use, "You got to do what you should" means it's your obligation to do what you should. The second use ""We get to carry each other" means that we have the privilege of carrying each other.

David Cash

[Glenn Harris]

It depends on the word right in front of the get/got.

We get to carry each other indicates the opportunity to carry each other.

If he would have said "We got to carry each other" that's simply past tense vs. present tense, meaning something that was done but is no longer being done vs something that is ongoing.

If he would have said "We've got to carry each other" that implies duty vs. privilege.