# EN: I've been + firstname



## sclubusher

Hello there,

J'ai entendu à la radio, ce n'est pas la première que je l'ai entendu, mais je l'ai très rarement entendu.

ou le présentateur disait I've been Ben Burell, happy Boxing day.

Et l'emission c'est terminée.

Pourqoui utilise t-on le present perfect, on pourrait le traduire par :

Je suis Ben burell ou J'ai été Ben burell ?

Je trouve cette tournure bizarre, pourquoi ce n'est pas tout simplement 
"I am"

Merci pour vos réponses

BTW : Happy boxing day to commonwealth nation who are member here


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## Aistriúchán

_C'était Ben Burrell_ (?)


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## sclubusher

Et pourqoui il ne disent pas plutôt_ "that was"_ dans ces cas là ?


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## Enquiring Mind

This is a grammatically incorrect (in British English, at least) "trendy" phrase used a lot by stand-up comics when they've finished their act. "I've been Ben" makes no sense, because he IS STILL Ben even after his programme has ended.  You _*could*_ say: "This has been Ben playing your favourite records etc." because once the programme has finished, he's no longer playing them.  I believe it's pretty standard US usage.

(I suppose he could conceivably say "I've been Ben" after he's died, because then he's no longer Ben. But it would depend on him being able to speak after he's dead!!)


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## sclubusher

Enquiring Mind said:


> This is a grammatically incorrect (in British English, at least) "trendy" phrase used a lot by stand-up comics when they've finished their act. "I've been Ben" makes no sense, because he IS STILL Ben even after his programme has ended. You _*could*_ say: "This has been Ben playing your favourite records etc." because once the programme has finished, he's no longer playing them. I believe it's pretty standard US usage.


 
It is weird... But as I have mentioned, I have heard it 3 times when the Breakfast Show finished. But I'd like to know as well, Radio host instead of says "I've been Ben", is it possible to say That was Ben ? is there any difference between  I've been Ben & that was ben ?

Many thanks all !


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## Enquiring Mind

"Celui-ci - celui-là"

Ben himself wouldn't say "That (celui-là) was Ben", though he might say "This (celui-ci) was Ben" .

The announcer who comes on after Ben has gone off the air would say "That was Ben."

No real difference between "I've been Ben/this has been Ben/this was Ben" - and Ben could say any of these.
The announcer afterwards could only say "That was Ben".


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## johnblacksox

I've never heard that in US English...


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## catay

Another possibility:
It could be a kind of shorthand in the case where the announcer is filling in or taking the place of the usual host.  That is, Ben is on vacation and he is "Ben" or taking on Ben's job for that day's programming meaning "This has been/is Steve, filling in for Ben."


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## Aistriúchán

I've been Ben = I have no idea what that means. You must have misheard.
happy boxing day = Boxing Day is what the British call St. Stephen's Day.


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## sclubusher

Thanks for your help so :

Either _I've been Ben_ or_ this has been Ben_ as well as _this was Ben_

And if the Dj is off air, the other Dj would say_ THAT_


Thanks, But I did not misheard at all, I swear, even when I fist heard that. I was really suprised... But it is uncommon...

Thank you all over again

Have a good one !


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## Oddmania

Bonjour,

En passant, je viens de voir un épisode des Simpsons où Bart devient présentateur d'un journal pour enfant. Il répète à chaque fois _C'était Bart Simpson_ à la fin de ses émissions, et dans la version original, il dit simpelment _I'm Bart Simpson_.


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## Aistriúchán

I hear "this is..."


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## sclubusher

So do I, I hear "this is" mostly.

I think it is better to use either " I am " or "this is" simply


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## Keith Bradford

If the DJ said "I've been Ben Burell" it means three things at the same time:

My name is Ben Burrell
I've been introducing this programme
I'm trying to express this in an idiosyncratic way, so that you'll remember me.
It worked, didn't it?


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## Jab'

D'ailleurs les francophones utilisent une construction similaire tout aussi "illogique" : 

"C'était Guy Lux en direct de Bercy, à vous Paris"....Il est TOUJOURS Guy Lux après la phrase mais c'est une version écourtée de "C'était un reportage de Guy Lux..."


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