Got Me A...

Q: Can I use other verbs?

Yes — “fixed me a sandwich,” “built me a shed,” “found me a bargain.”

Q: Do all pronouns work?

Naturally: I/me, you/you, we/us, they/them, he/him, she/her.

In Appalachian and Southern speech, the "got X a" pattern adds a benefactive/reflexive pronoun after "got" to mean "got (for) oneself/ourselves/themselves." It’s a living grammar feature, not "wrong English."

#SouthernSayings #Appalachia #Southern

synonyms: got myself a, got yourself a, got themselves a, bought/found/made (for oneself)

Hillbilly Dude Says...

This phrasing is super common down here. Another one I didn't realize was just us.

Pronunciation

[GAHT mee / yoo / thuym] /ɡɑt miː | juː | ðɛm/

Meaning & Usage

- Benefactive Possession (emphatic "got " for oneself")

Earl:

I got me a used tractor.

Mae:

Nice-runs good?

- Discovery / Acquisition (excited find or deal)

Ruby:

You got you a real deal on that quilt.

Hazel:

Ten dollars at the yard sale!

- Group / Third-Person Variants (us/them/him/her)

Papaw:

We got us a new pup.

Leroy:

They got them a place up on the ridge.

Clara:

He got him a job at the mill.

Mavis:

She got her a sewing machine.

★ Linguists call this the Southern/Appalachian reflexive (benefactive) dative: adding a pronoun ("me/you/us/them/him/her") after "got" to highlight personal benefit or emphasis. ★

Origin

Carried over from older Northern English and Scots-Irish speech where reflexive/benefactive pronouns were common ("I got me"," "I fixed me""). Settlers brought the pattern to the American South and Appalachia, where it remains vibrant.

Notes

The "got X a" pattern is one of the most recognizable features of Southern and Appalachian English. It adds a reflexive/benefactive pronoun after "got" to emphasize that something was obtained or done for oneself (or for the person/group mentioned). In writing it may look informal, but in speech it’s perfectly natural. Often pairs with other regional features ("I done got me a"," "I went and got me a"")

I got me a - for oneself ("I got me a new truck.")
You got you a - second person ("You got you a good deal.")
We got us a - first person plural ("We got us a new puppy.")
They got them a - third person plural ("They got them a place on the ridge.")
He got him a - third person singular ("He got him a job at the mill.")
She got her a - third person singular ("She got her a sewing machine.")
It got it a - occasionally used humorously for pets or objects ("That cat got it a warm spot by the fire.")

This reflexive/benefactive dative pattern also shows up with other verbs, especially "fix" ("I fixed me a sandwich") and "find" ("She found her a bargain").

Say It Like a Southerner

Say it natural: "I got me a"," "You got you a"," "They got them a"," "We got us a"," "He got him a"," "She got her a""

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Is "got me a" bad grammar?

No - it’s a recognized regional pattern that adds emphasis/benefit.

Can I use other verbs?

Yes - "fixed me a sandwich," "built me a shed," "found me a bargain."

Do all pronouns work?

Naturally: I/me, you/you, we/us, they/them, he/him, she/her.

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