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Mrzeal Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Can fathers say 'I had a baby!'
My wife delivered a baby girl last week and in my joy I sent an email note to all my colleagues at office with the message: 'I had a baby....'
One of them corrected me saying 'it is your wife who had the baby, not you!'... I agree with him. But I am curious, is 'My wife delivered a baby' the only way to convey this message... I want the limelight on me not my wife
(just kidding; but you understand what I am trying to say?)
Please help!
One of them corrected me saying 'it is your wife who had the baby, not you!'... I agree with him. But I am curious, is 'My wife delivered a baby' the only way to convey this message... I want the limelight on me not my wife
(just kidding; but you understand what I am trying to say?)Please help!
Top answer
', although if you said 'I had a baby' I wouldn't quibble with you as new dads are allowed to be excited!
- ', although if you said 'I had a baby' I wouldn't quibble with you as new dads are allowed to be excited!
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11 Answers
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I think it sounds better for a man to declare 'I have a son!' or 'I have a daughter' or 'I'm a father!', although if you said 'I had a baby' I wouldn't quibble with you as new dads are allowed to be excited!
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Hello MrZ, congratulations to you and your wife!
I suppose, strictly speaking, it was your wife who was delivered of your baby; and so, strictly speaking, only she can be said to have 'had a baby'.
But everyone knows what a father means, when he says 'I've had a baby!'. So I'm with you on this one.
On the other hand, it is traditional for at least one jocular coll
I suppose, strictly speaking, it was your wife who was delivered of your baby; and so, strictly speaking, only she can be said to have 'had a baby'.
But everyone knows what a father means, when he says 'I've had a baby!'. So I'm with you on this one.
On the other hand, it is traditional for at least one jocular coll
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Thank you MrP and nona the brit for the replies.
So, "I have had a baby" more grammatically correct than "I had a baby"?
MrZeal
So, "I have had a baby" more grammatically correct than "I had a baby"?
MrZeal
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It is quite obvious to me that it is only the mother who can say 'I have had a baby as she is the one one who can deliver it'. I would agree then that the father would say I have had a son or a daughter or twins.
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Hello MrZ
I wouldn't say either was more correct than the other; I think I'm just more used to hearing 'I've just had a baby!', if the birth is quite recent and the time is unspecified (not that I'm suggesting I move in especially fecund circles).
But you might say 'my wife had a baby last night', because then the time is specified.
I would also expect to hear 'I ju
I wouldn't say either was more correct than the other; I think I'm just more used to hearing 'I've just had a baby!', if the birth is quite recent and the time is unspecified (not that I'm suggesting I move in especially fecund circles).
But you might say 'my wife had a baby last night', because then the time is specified.
I would also expect to hear 'I ju
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In America at least, one often hears men say something like "We are trying to get pregnant."
I find it rather creepy.
I find it rather creepy.
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I agree with you there, Cacarr. In the UK, you sometimes hear 'we're trying for a baby'. It suggests much toil and little pleasure.
That reminds me of British ex-prime minister Margaret Thatcher's comment to the press, after her first grandchild was born: 'We are a grandmother!'
This 'royal we' alerted many to what some had suspected for a long while: not quite enough sandwich
That reminds me of British ex-prime minister Margaret Thatcher's comment to the press, after her first grandchild was born: 'We are a grandmother!'
This 'royal we' alerted many to what some had suspected for a long while: not quite enough sandwich
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What do you mean with the sandwiches? I don't know this idiom, but I like it already!
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Hello Pieanne!
It was an oblique reference to this phrase:
'He's a few sandwiches short of a picnic...'
Meaning: 'he's not all there'; 'he's lost his marbles'.
Or it can just mean 'he's not very smart'.
(Maybe we could say: 'he's a few threads short of a forum'.)
MrP
It was an oblique reference to this phrase:
'He's a few sandwiches short of a picnic...'
Meaning: 'he's not all there'; 'he's lost his marbles'.
Or it can just mean 'he's not very smart'.
(Maybe we could say: 'he's a few threads short of a forum'.)
MrP
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Hello, MrP!
(you're not very kind here!)
Thanks for your explanation. When I saw the expression, I thought it meant something like: s/he wants to achieve too big for what s/he has in stock, what with the ref to Mrs Thatcher!
Could have been yet, no?
(you're not very kind here!)
Thanks for your explanation. When I saw the expression, I thought it meant something like: s/he wants to achieve too big for what s/he has in stock, what with the ref to Mrs Thatcher!
Could have been yet, no?
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