When you need to contact someone, do you say "get a hold of them" or "get hold of them" or do you avoid the phrasing altogether? Maybe you just get hold of items, and not people?

To me, the latter sounds better, a bit more sophisticated. However Laverne, who is much smarter than I, maintains just the opposite

I'd say "get hold of..."

arnie: That's because you're more sophisticated

When speaking casually I would say: "get a hold of 'em" => /'gEt@ 'hold@v@m/. In writing, I would probably type "contact them".

what arnie said

Yup - I was thinking "getta holda them", and we all know I'm terribly unsophisticated in my habits.

I'm not sophisticated, but I'd say "get hold of." On the other hand, I don't use it that much.

quote:

arnie: That's because you're more sophisticated

Not really, or perhaps not necessarily.

It's just that I'm English and we don't use "a" in that construction.