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I've seen an expression, "Have you an idea?"

Is it always possible to say "have you ~?" instead of "do you have~?"

"Have you a pen?"

"Do you have a pen?"

"Have you got a pen?"

Are they all OK and the same?

kuwabara
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1 Answers1

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As an aside, there may be regional (national) and class variations in this usage.

When I started school in England (my previous schooling was French in Canada), if someone asked me a question, "Do you have [a pen]?" then I'd be inclined to answer "Yes I do." And young boys mocked me for that, because the proper/grammatical answer should have been "Yes I have."

I think that "have got" is used in fact, but is vulgar -- I don't mean rude, but unschooled -- or I might say, it's "familiar" i.e. I'd say it to my mother or brother, who don't correct my grammar.

And "have you" sounds formal -- maybe too formal, overly schooled, or English-as-a-second-language.

So I'd say "Do you have" (or depending on context, "may I borrow" or "can you lend me" or "would you lend me").

Lucy says to Snoopy "Have you any idea what you're going to do with the rest of your life?"

IMO using "any" instead of "an" changes the rhythm of the sentence i.e. which of the words receive emphasis when spoken:

  1. Have you an idea?
  2. Do-you have an idea?
  3. Have you an-y idea?

I might avoid the first one in my normal speech because the middle words "you an" come out kind of mumbled.

ChrisW
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  • "maybe too formal, overly schooled, or English-as-a-second-language." - none of these in British English, but a bit old-fashioned perhaps. – Michael Harvey Mar 19 '22 at 09:50
  • I didn't understand your comment. – ChrisW Mar 19 '22 at 09:51
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    You said that 'have you' sounds 'formal -- maybe too formal, overly schooled, or English-as-a-second-language.'. I disagreed with all three, but added 'but a bit old-fashioned perhaps'. – Michael Harvey Mar 19 '22 at 09:59
  • Ah -- you're saying it's normal or not abnormal in British English. – ChrisW Mar 19 '22 at 10:04
  • A bit 'posh' (slightly formal) maybe. – Michael Harvey Mar 19 '22 at 10:13
  • That's what I meant by "schooled", i.e. it's something like Oxford English (which I learned from my Dad -- according to my Mum he originally spoke Nottingham English, so there's some "English as a second language" too!). – ChrisW Mar 19 '22 at 10:27
  • My dad originally spoke 'Derby English' but had it knocked out of him at Loughborough Grammar School between 1931 and 1937, and he said 'have you...'. – Michael Harvey Mar 19 '22 at 10:31
  • But I found this phrase in Peanuts. Lucy says to Snoopy "Have you any idea what you're going to do with the rest of your life?" Linus may use some old-fashioned English, but it is Lucy. I don't think she would ever use formal or old-fashioned English when she talks to a dog. – kuwabara Mar 19 '22 at 10:55
  • @kuwabara "Have you any idea..." is a fixed phrase used in formal and informal English. – Michael Harvey Mar 19 '22 at 15:51
  • And Charles Schultz was writing for publication, in newspapers -- not very informal -- and in comic form might prefer whichever version has fewer words. – ChrisW Mar 19 '22 at 15:56