This is for a linguistics class that I’m currently in, and it would be awesome if you would respond with your answers to three quick questions! Here it goes:
Scenario: Some dude is drinking outside at college/university, and one of his professors comes up to him.
Professor: ‘What are you doing? You can’t drink, you’re not 21!’
Student: ‘I’ve been 21!’ [emphasis placed on 'been' when spoken; feel free to say it aloud!]
Questions
1. Is ‘I’ve been 21!’ an okay thing to say in English (i.e., is it grammatical)?
2. What does ‘I’ve been 21!’ mean in this context?
3. Where did you grow up (general area is good enough, but if it was near a city, please mention the name of that city)?
As a reward for helping me out, I promise to give you a t-shirt-related post tomorrow. Thanks!
Subscribe to our Feed!
1. Seems ok…I have been 21. I have been twenty one. I’ve been a yeti.
2. Maybe he is 21 now, and has been for more than a few minutes, or turned the age of 21 some time ago. Or maybe he has portrayed 21, either in age or flavors…mmmm, 21 flavors
3. Air Force Brat in Eastern North Dakota and Eastern Washington State
1. It seems alright. Like if you’re talking to an older adult and they say “I’ve been 30…those were the good ol’ days.”
2. In this context…who knows, maybe the student is a believer in a previous/past life? Also, we don’t know the student’s age, so maybe he’s an older student and saying “I’ve been 21″…which is true.
3. Calgary, Alberta, Canada!
1. Grammatically, it’s fine.
2. Well, it seems to mean in this context that the speaker has already turned 21, but has since grown older and is no longer 21. But to me, it doesn’t really sound right at all — as if she somehow became 21 briefly, and then became younger sometime afterwards and is no longer 21. or something similarly nonsensical.
3. Chicago
1. It seems exscusable because the subject is intoxicated.
2. I think it means that he’s already turned 21 but it’s an awkward way of phrasing it.
3. Wilmette, IL