Needs washed
Meaning: A grammatical construction meaning 'needs to be washed' — dropping the 'to be' is a signature Midwest feature.
In the Midwest, 'needs' can directly precede a past participle without 'to be.' The car 'needs washed,' the dog 'needs fed.' This construction is completely natural to Midwesterners but sounds wrong to speakers from other regions.
Examples
- The car needs washed before the weekend. 周末之前车needs washed(得洗一下)。The car needs washed (hay que lavar el coche) antes del fin de semana.週末までに車をneeds washed(洗わないと)。주말 전에 차를 needs washed(세차해야 해).
- The dog needs fed — can you take care of it? 狗needs fed(得喂了)——你能去弄一下吗?The dog needs fed (hay que dar de comer al perro) — ¿puedes encargarte?犬にneeds fed(餌やらないと)——やってくれる?강아지한테 needs fed(밥 줘야 해)——네가 해줄 수 있어?
- This floor needs mopped — it's getting sticky. 这地板needs mopped(得拖一下)——开始发黏了。This floor needs mopped (hay que fregar este suelo) — se está poniendo pegajoso.この床needs mopped(モップがけしないと)——ベタベタしてきた。이 바닥 needs mopped(대걸레질 해야 해)——끈적거리기 시작했어.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: chores, daily conversation, requests
Tone: practical, matter-of-fact
✓ Do Say
- The lawn needs mowed.草坪needs mowed(该修了)。El césped needs mowed (hay que cortarlo).芝生needs mowed(刈らないと)。잔디 needs mowed(깎아야 해).
- That shirt needs washed.那件衬衫needs washed(该洗了)。Esa camisa needs washed (hay que lavarla).そのシャツneeds washed(洗わないと)。그 셔츠 needs washed(빨아야 해).
✗ Don't Say
- Don't correct a Midwesterner who says 'needs washed' — it's a well-documented dialect feature不要纠正说'needs washed'的中西部人——这是有据可查的方言特征No corrijas a un habitante del Medio Oeste que dice 'needs washed' — es un rasgo dialectal bien documentado「needs washed」と言う中西部の人を訂正しないこと——十分に記録された方言の特徴である'needs washed'라고 말하는 중서부 사람을 고치려 하지 마세요——이것은 잘 기록된 방언 특징입니다
Origin & History
This grammatical feature comes from Scots-Irish English and was carried to the American interior by settlers from northern Britain and Ireland.
Cultural Context
Era: Traditional
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Ohio, Indiana, western Pennsylvania
More From This Topic
More from Regional: Midwest
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