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Taka Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Get

Is it safe to say that the "get" of "get started" is a linking verb?
  

Top answer

No.

— Fivejedjon

  • No.
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12 Answers
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Could you tell me why you think it's not?
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TakaIs it safe to say that the "get" of "get started" is a linking verb
In my terminology, that get is a complex-intransitive verb, i.e., an intransitive verb taking a predicative complement (PC), here the adjective phrase started. I was pretty sure ‘complex-intransitive verb’ was equivalent to traditional grammar’s ‘linking verb’ until I saw 5jj
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Aspara Gus It could be that verbs are only said to be ‘linking’ when their PC expresses a property of the subject-referent (He sure got fat over the years); by contrast started together with get means “start”. He got started = He started.
That's the way I see it. I don't claim to be a spokesperson for traditional grammar.
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AG, so you don't think this conversion works like, say, "X gets fired?X is fired", right?

X gets started?X is started.

If so, don't you think it might be possible to say that "get started" is a sort of ellipsis of "get things started"?
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TakaIf so, don't you think it might be possible to say that "get started" is a sort of ellipsis of "get things started"?
No, but that is similar in meaning.
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Two related questions, AG.

1: I've found many examples of "I'm started" on Google books. What does it mean?

2: About the "started" of "get started". If anything, is the "started" itself the past participle of the transitive "start" in origin? Or is it that of the intransitive "start"?
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Linking verbs are be, look, etc., since they all have this linking-verb-type construction:

He is well.

He looks well.

"Get" cannot be put into the above type of construction.

"Get started" is more of a "phrasal verb." "To get started" means to begin.

In US English, "I'm started." is ungrammatical.
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TakaI've found many examples of "I'm started" on Google books.
I’m not familiar with that usage. It doesn’t sound right to me.
TakaAbout the "started" of "get started". If anything, is the "started" itself the past participle of the transitive "start" in origin? Or is it that of the intransitive "start"?
That’s an interestin
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Aspara GusThat’s an interesting question. Unfortunately, I’m not quite sure how to answer
As a matter of fact, that is the main thing I've been wondering about.

Well, let's see what others have to say.

Thanks for the comments anyway, AG!
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