Whatever happened to 'to be'?

[LoopsInHoops]

I keep reading things like "the baby needed picked up". Loads of variations on this weird loss of the words 'to be' (but I can't think of any other actual examples right now. Why is this? Is it just laziness? American English? I'm irritated confused.

is it regional?

i'm in NI and it would be quite normal in my part of the land to say "the baby needs picked up" dropping the 'to be'. it's not a conscious thing, it's just natural for us to speak like this.

I've noticed "am" being used instead of "was" a fair amount, not sure why

Clearly 'to be' was 'not to be'! Sorry, couldn't resist!

I've not noticed that one disappearing. I'm still twitchy about "like" as in -
"It's like I've just walked out of the salon" rather than "It's as though I've just walked out of the salon".

And don't get me started on the pinterest-speak of "Totally addicting"

I think it could be an irish thing, dp and dmil both do it. Agree it sounds wrong, but i guess if it's a dialect it's okay...

SPB can you give an example of 'am' instead of 'was'? i'm struggling to understand that one.

The only example I can think of is from sex and the city
"I've been giving blow jobs since I'm twelve"
I've noticed it a few other times, but can't think of the specifics

No, though, Euphemia, it still doesn't fit any of the grammar rules.

If it's a regional thing, fair enough. Still wrong though.

"the baby needed picking up" would be fine here, a conditional past tense of sorts, but "the baby needed picked up" isn't anything.

Conditional pluperfect maybe?

ah, i've never heard that SPB. it is odd.

i don't like "baby needed picking up" either.

everyone has started saying "needing doing"
or similar instead of to do.

it's a pandemic.

Oh really? So it is a regional thing.

Votes please:

Your region:
Do you say: The baby needs to be picked up, the baby needs picking up, or the baby needs picked up?

Thanks :)

Agree with Euphemia - this is a construction we use in Scotland (and possibly in NI too?). Something needs done, not doing. Or cleaned, not cleaning.

Not 'the baby will need to be picked up at 4'?

That's the normal use in scotland

Loops, the first one to be correct, the second would be lazier but I would still say it, the third sounds totally wrong to me. It needs corrected. :o

I agree with you SPB. Are you English?

Sorted. it's a Scottish/NI thing. Thanks all. :)