We've, I've ...

[Zeb_Carter]

OK, that's your specific experience. I don't know what education you have or how broadly you've lived in the world. I'll stick with the qualifiers I gave--based on my own experience in the world. I didn't post that it would be the experience of everyone.

Let's say I have a doctorate. I have been and lived all over the world. I have lived or visited every state in the Union, except Hawaii. I know two other languages, but if you count the computer programming languages then it's eight. I have raise a number of children and have been married for close to 50 years. And I have never heard that phrase used by anyone.

 

[KeithD]

Let's say I have a doctorate. I have been and lived all over the world. I have lived or visited every state in the Union, except Hawaii. I know two other languages, but if you count the computer programming languages then it's eight. I have raise a number of children and have been married for close to 50 years. And I have never heard that phrase used by anyone.

You sound pretty insular to me. But that's fine. If you don't use that construction, that's fine for you. There's no law everyone has to be as insular as you.

 

[SimonDoom]

Let's say I have a doctorate. I have been and lived all over the world. I have lived or visited every state in the Union, except Hawaii. I know two other languages, but if you count the computer programming languages then it's eight. I have raise a number of children and have been married for close to 50 years. And I have never heard that phrase used by anyone.

You've never visited Hawaii? You're missing out. Hawaii is beautiful. Go!

I'm wracking my brain, and I can't recall ever having heard something like "I've this brand . . . " or a similar construction, in conversation either. To me it sounds like something an American might say if they were affecting a British way of speaking (or what they thought of as a British way of speaking), which might fit in with the demographic Keith is referring to.

 

[jaF0]

I don't think it's an educational thing because the people I've noticed using it are kind of rural redneck yokels that might not even know how to spell skoolz.

Older, yes. Smarter? Maybe not.

 

[SimonDoom]

I don't think it's an educational thing because the people I've noticed using it are kind of rural redneck yokels that might not even know how to spell skoolz.

Older, yes. Smarter? Maybe not.

It's interesting how raising a seemingly small grammatical point can yield such a variety of observations and perspectives.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Having pondered this all day, I hear "I've a ..." as a contraction, but not "I've xxxx" where xxxx is any other noun or noun phrase.

So someone might say "I've an idea" or "I've a horrible pain in my chest", but not "I've twenty quid" or "I've Bosch appliances". They might say, if they were a Londoner speaking colloquially, "I've this problem, right..." Or "I've this mate, and he..."

(Brit in London with colleagues and friends from all over)

 

[Bramblethorn]

I would hazard to guess that's because they learn British English in India. Every time I've heard "I've" as in "I've a few opinions on that subject" it's been in British English. I have no idea (I've no idea) if it's grammatically correct or a slang construction but I've definitely seen it.

Same here, this seems to be a British/British-influenced usage.