3

I am going to have you arrested.
I am going to get you arrested.

I am going to have you punched.
I am going to get you punched.

Both are logical and grammatical right? If yes, what's the different?

Improve this question

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
3

If I was about to call the police, I might say:

I am going to have you arrested.

However, if I was talking about your loud, confrontational behavior in a public place, I might say:

That is going to get you arrested.

In the context of getting arrested, have means the speaker is contributing in some way (e.g., by calling the police, or by pressing charges). On the other hand, get is sometimes used to describe what happens to someone who has committed a crime, because get arrested is somewhat idiomatic. For example, I might say:

I got arrested last year.

or:

I was arrested last year.

but I would never say:

I had arrested last year.

As for that knuckle sandwich, I wouldn't say either of these, even if I was predisposed to brawling:

I am going to have you punched.
I am going to get you punched.

Instead, I would probably use more direct speech:

I am going to punch you.

Or, if I was issuing a warning:

That behavior is going to get you punched.

or (maybe more directly):

You're going to get punched if you keep it up.

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    I'm thinking about substitutions of "beaten up" for "punched". There's an interesting distinction here: "You are going to have me beaten up" means that you are going to ask (or perhaps pay) someone to beat me up. "You are going to get me beaten up" means that you are going to do or say something that will cause someone to beat me up, for example tell someone that I said I wanted to fight him.
    – BobRodes
    Jun 12, 2014 at 2:46
  • @Bob - I'm reading your comment thinking, "I wish Bob had left an answer, and I wish the O.P. hadn't accepted my answer so quickly." When we use "get" vs. "have" is a tricky waterway to navigate, and I don't think I've done the subject justice here. Interesting also how we say, "I have a headache," but, "I get headaches." Giving the learner some easy way to figure out which of the two verbs is the correct one is proving elusive to me. The question deserves more analysis, and is unlikely to get it with that green check mark there!
    – J.R. ♦
    Jun 12, 2014 at 9:17
0

In technical writing context, especially in access-related processes, I'd use "get" to indicate access permission and "have/has" to indicate current status of access rights. Example:
(a) They have access to the XYZ console. (They can access it; they have the required rights to access it.)
(b) They get access to the XYZ console. (They needed the permission to access, and they got it.)

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .