Discussion » Questions » Education » I think I just had a verbal accident. I said, "we have no" vaccine. Help from the Grammar police please.
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I think I just had a verbal accident. I said, "we have no" vaccine. Help from the Grammar police please.

Did I make a verbal error?

Posted - January 30, 2021
Tag : Grammar police

Responses


  • 32663
    "We do not have"
      January 30, 2021 2:55 PM MST
    3

  • 7335
    OMG, I did the unthinkable.  Thank you for your post. 
      January 30, 2021 3:10 PM MST
    3

  • 32663
    Not as bad as it could be....you could have said "We ain't got no." 
    LOL
      January 30, 2021 3:15 PM MST
    4

  • 44228
    'We do not have any' This post was edited by Element 99 at July 9, 2023 7:26 PM MDT
      January 30, 2021 9:12 PM MST
    3

  • 9872
     In general, we say 'we don't have any' when speaking of actual things and 'we have no' when speaking of emotions or attitudes.  For example, 'I have no reason to believe that you made an error'. But the way you phrased it was perfectly fine and not that uncommon. 
      January 30, 2021 3:28 PM MST
    5

  • 44228
    Yes. You did not capitalize we. Otherwise, it is acceptable.
      January 30, 2021 4:20 PM MST
    4

  • 52936

     

      Wait, you’re just kidding, aren’t you? You do know that she presented the phrase as a part of what was said, not necessarily the beginning of a sentence, don’t you?  The use of both opening and closing quotation marks indicates that’s the case here. 

    (I have to jump to my baby’s defense.)

    ~

      January 31, 2021 7:31 AM MST
    3

  • 44228
      January 31, 2021 10:24 AM MST
    2

  • 7335
    Oh wow, Kiss me Randy D. 
      January 31, 2021 1:49 PM MST
    1

  • 52936

     


    Wow, on top of everything else you do, you also read minds? Talented.

      ~

      January 31, 2021 5:34 PM MST
    2

  • 10466
    Shooooot, you don't need no grammar po-lease... you just says - "We ain'ts got us none of that there vak-seen stuff".  (And ifens that don't work, just says, "What's a vak-seen?". )


    This post was edited by Shuhak at July 10, 2023 12:04 PM MDT
      January 30, 2021 5:39 PM MST
    5

  • 17398
    It's fine, oral or written.
      January 30, 2021 7:48 PM MST
    5

  • 52936

     

      I agree with Thriftymaid. 

      It also depends on the full context, of course. Many of the previous answers here automatically dismiss the phrase, I wonder if the whole sentence (and possibly the words of the other conversant/conversants) in the discussion were to be known, might it change their minds. There could be words that precede or follow the phrase that render it grammatically correct.


    1. Has a vaccine been developed?
        Not yet, we have no vaccine that effectively addresses the specific malady. 

    2. The vaccine protocol is appropriate for this community.
        In our community, that would be nice, but we have no vaccine protocol yet. 

    3. Don’t bother coming to my clinic, because we have no vaccine to give you. 

    4. The supply chain has dried up, meaning that all stored doses have been administered, simply put, we have no vaccine to administer to new patients. 


    There are dozens of possible ways it could be correct. That does NOT mean that the alternate examples that some of you presented are incorrect. 

    ~

      January 31, 2021 7:28 AM MST
    4

  • 7335
    How about "Yes, we have no bananas," in the song. la la la  This post was edited by . at July 10, 2023 12:04 PM MDT
      January 31, 2021 1:50 PM MST
    3

  • 2733
    I take exception to your improper use of a comma where a period should be used.  Example:

    1.  Not yet,.  We have no vaccine that effectively addresses the specific malady.   "Not yet" is a sentence on its own.

    4. The supply chain has dried up, meaning that all stored doses have been administered,.  Simply put, we have no vaccine to administer to new patients.  "The supply chain ..." is a complete sentence.
      July 10, 2023 7:38 AM MDT
    1

  • 3684
    It's fine, Honeydew.

    Other point to subtle differences in alternative (not "alternate") versions, and they may be correct for formal writing, but using "we have no" in ordinary speech is not likely to induce Armageddon.

    Indeed, "we have no" is far more mellifluous, and correct, than anything containing that ugly surplus word "got" - even without double negatives!
      February 6, 2021 3:13 PM MST
    4

  • 52936

     

      Honey Dew did not post the question, Boss Lady did.
    ~

      July 10, 2023 12:58 PM MDT
    0

  • 44228
    We ain't got.
      July 9, 2023 7:55 PM MDT
    1