"Find me..."

11:41 Feb 13, 2009

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Slang / Grammar

English term or phrase: "Find me..."

I was interested in what people's opinions were on this sentence structure.

For example: "Find me a book."

Although very common English, I was under the impression that it wasn't strictly correct? Similar to how "Recommend me a book" and "Choose me a book" are common but frowned upon.

However, some of my friends have started to make me doubt myself...

I've looked in my reference books and not found anything that discusses this particular example. Perhaps someone could clear this up for me?

Gemma Collinge KudoZ activity Questions: 15 (2 open) (1 without valid answers) Answers: 5 United Kingdom
Local time: 19:46

Summary of reference entries provided

Point of view

Rafael Bordabehere (X)

You can choose whether you say "choose me sth" or "choose sth for me"

Sheila Wilson

References from the past

juvera

Discussion entries: 3

Reference comments

23 mins

Reference: Point of view

Reference information:
I'm no native speaker but I would like to add that structures like this are meant for two reasons: to keep the language alive and to make a difference for the users. Teenagers, for instance, are very fond of grammatical incorrect forms just to show themselves different. It happened to us all ... and it is fun. Luck.

Rafael Bordabehere (X)
Uruguay
Native speaker of: Spanish

29 mins peer agreement (net): +1

Reference: You can choose whether you say "choose me sth" or "choose sth for me"

Reference information:
See the discussion here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/le...

So, the verbs find and choose can have either format. However, the verb recommend is a bit different. I would correct my students by asking them to omit the "me" altogether where it's self-evident, and to use "recommend a book for/to me" where it isn't, and in written English

Sheila Wilson
Spain
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 7

Note to reference poster

Asker: Lovely! Thank you very much! That's exactly the confirmation I needed. Been a long week and I'm really starting to doubt everything I write... =)

3 hrs peer agreement (net): +1

Reference: References from the past

Reference information:
Bible, Psalms 55:8
I would haste to find me a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.
Find me a sane man, bring him to me, and I will cure him.
-Oscar Wilde
The Canterbury Tales, The Knight's Tale;
But whereas ye have proffer'd me to-day
To choose me a wife...
www.textlibrary.com/download/canterbu.txt

The Merchant of Venice, Act I.
But this reasoning is not in the fashion to choose me a husband.

The Fortunes of Nigel, by Sir Walter Scott
Choose me a pair of his most Sacred Majesty’s own wearing,
ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/s/scott/walter/nigel/complete.html

The Upas Tree by Florence L. Barclay (1862-1921) (A Project Gutenberg book)
...could you... choose me a small organ for the new church?
infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/1/6/4/5/16454/16454.htm

juvera
Native speaker of:

Hungarian

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