If you want something doing...

M56   Sat Sep 17, 2005 12:55 pm GMT
Can anyone tell me how widespread the use of such regional forms below are? Where can they be found? I know they exist In NW England, but would like to know where else they are being used.

"If you want something doing, do it yourself."

(Variant of "If you want something done, do it yourself.")

"I need these shirts ironing right now!"

"I want my dog walking." "Can you do it?"

Many thanks in advance.
Uriel   Sat Sep 17, 2005 9:48 pm GMT
Not in the US, that's for sure.
Gjones2   Sat Sep 17, 2005 9:53 pm GMT
Google results (entire net):
"want something doing" 574
"want something done" 167,000

Google results (UK sites only)
"want something doing" 897
"want something done" 9,130

Weird result. The entire net search should have included all the UK sites too, yet it showed just 574 finds instead of 897. In any case -- if Google can be trusted at all -- the UK appears to be the main place where this construction is being used. A casual glance at the sites on the first page of the entire net results shows that the sites are nearly all in the UK. (I've never noticed it being used in the Southeastern US.)
Ecko   Tue Sep 20, 2005 5:48 am GMT
None of those sentences make any sense
korida   Wed Sep 21, 2005 12:03 am GMT
can you make the naive people be mature?