musings

“Have you got …?” “Yes I do.” It always grates when I hear a mismatched reply like this.

To my ear, the reply should be “Yes I have.” Substituting ‘have’ with ‘do’ is an avoidance of even implying the word ‘got’. It would be fine if the question were “Do you have …?” This is equally correct English. The reply “Yes I do [have]” is appropriate in this case.

Not long ago, the preference for ‘have’ instead of ‘have got’ was simply one of the many differences between British and US English. And I have no particular desire to preserve the word ‘got’. But this irritating crossed reply is spreading and becoming more commonplace in the UK.

You see this disclaimer more and more. That’s invariably what pictures are for, isn’t it?

Discovered the work of Travis Heying today. What a brilliant photographer! Don’t know anything about him (except that he is or was a photographer on the Wichita Eagle in Kansas, USA), but he creates powerful, dramatic, arresting images. See some here.

Saw this road sign in Stockport. Assuming it’s an unofficial exhortation and not a new part of the Highway Code, I’m impressed by the effort which someone has gone to.

Firstly, the sign is hard to get at being extra-high, and secondly it is a proper vinyl sticker, not just felt-tip graffiti.

As I have been a vegetarian for some years now, I fully support the principle.