You probably don't need a weatherman to tell which way our response will go. Not only do we have no problem with have got; we've also got some dirt to dish on the usage.

Although have got first appeared in English in the 16th century, it didn't excite much comment until the late 19th century. That's when Richard Grant White labeled got superfluous. White's opinion caught on—at least for some time with some commentators—but by the 1960s, the tide had turned once again. These days, as for most of its history, have got is considered standard.

So where does have got come from? One usage writer believes got may have gotten inserted in the construction because of the tendency of have to be truncated into the less prominent -'ve. Another commentator theorizes that as have strengthened its position as an auxiliary verb, its ability to denote possession decreased. The result? Got got moved in to support have. In any case, modern writers looking to mimic the natural rhythms of speech would do well to keep have got in their repertoire.