Good afternoon everyone! I have a question for you. I have to translate this sentence. It is the American English form "have gotten" (Br.E. form is HAVE GOT). "I have gotten to do more reading lately". My book writes that here "have gotten" is in its modal sense, and it means "be able, have the opportunity". How could I translate it into Italian? Thank you.
Have gotten vs have got
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Ciao, blabla. Why don't you give us your best guess first? 
Elisabetta
Elisabetta
I agree, Elisabetta, let's see what blabla says.Ciao, blabla. Why don't you give us your best guess first?
However, I would just like to add that I think "I have got to do more reading" (BE) and "I have gotten to do more reading" (AE) don't mean the same thing - what do you think?
I think the "sono riuscita" part is right, but maybe some other changes are needed. Is this possible? -:
Ultimamente sono riuscita a leggere di più.
Yes, it's the have that makes it ambiguous. If you say When I retired I got to do more reading in standard BE it means the same as the American sentence, but if you say I've got to do more reading it's like the colloquial I gotta, meaning I must; it's not like I've gotten to..., meaning I've come to..., I've found the time to...However, I would just like to add that I think "I have got to do more reading" (BE) and "I have gotten to do more reading" (AE) don't mean the same thing - what do you think?
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However, I would just like to add that I think "I have got to do more reading" (BE) and "I have gotten to do more reading" (AE) don't mean the same thing - what do you think?
I agree to me the first means I MUST do more reading and the second means I have been able to do more reading.
I agree, Elisabetta, let's see what blabla says.
However, I would just like to add that I think "I have got to do more reading" (BE) and "I have gotten to do more reading" (AE) don't mean the same thing - what do you think?
Hi London Calling. Are you Italian? I think the former (Br.E.) is an obligation, the latter (Am.E.) is a statement of fact. Is it right Elisabetta?
Would a BE speaker ever say "have gotten" meaning the latter? (I think I've never heard it in UK..)
Si, in effetti ho scritto la traduzione letterale, ma intendevo quello che hai scritto tu. Allora avevo capito bene il senso della frase. Bene!
"Have gotten" does not occur in British English at all.
No, I'm from London!
The difference everybody has mentioned here is exactly the difference I meant, but didn't say, because I was waiting to see what you would come up with!
I have to read = I must read; I have gotten to reading = I have been able to read...Have gotten doesn't occur in modern British English, but it is in fact "old" British English.
I just checked that out: have a look at this. This is what I was told as well, many years ago, when studying Shakespeare at school.
I would interpret it correctly, yet it's not present perfect as Brian pointed out.
It's the past tense of "get" (managed to).I would interpret it correctly, yet it's not present perfect as Brian pointed out.
It's BE as well, as you all say. While you say "I've gotten to do.." on your side of the pond, I'd say "I've managed to do..." on mine!
"I got to" could be an imprecise version of "I've got to" (I gotta), which is present and means "I have to", not "I had to".
Sorry, this is what I meant
No problem when there's a time adverb as "past summer" of course.