'Go' has been used as a quotative in American English since the 1940s,
so it's not particularly recent. I'm unaware of any evidence that its
use has been on the rise lately. In fact, I seem to recall reading
somewhere (sorry--can't recall the source--something by Labov, perhaps?)
that the use of 'like' as a quotative has displaced much of the former
use of 'go'. You may be suffering from what the linguists at Language
Log call the Recency Illusion. (see, for example,
http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002386.html)

Its use is, of course, still casual, but if you do try to correct your
children, you should realize that you may well not be successful, as
children are often quite resistant to language correction. They'll have
to learn to avoid it in formal writing at some point, but trying to
stamp it out of their speech isn't the best way to accomplish that.

Karl

Angie Zelenak wrote:
> 
> I am relatively new to this forum.  I find it very helpful to a
> layperson, so I am compelled to present a monumental question about
> grammar usage.
>  
> When did the verb "to go" become a speaking verb in conversation?  For
> example, "I go, 'I'm not going to do that'"; "He goes, 'Oh yes you are";
> "She goes, 'Please forgive me for my rudeness'" -- you get the idea?
>  
> I have noticed this usage more substantially in the past ten months, and
> it is not just by the grammatically impaired.  I hear lawyers, school
> teachers, and even an N.P.R. interviewer last week, all in a
> fast-talking need to employ "go" instead of "said, commented,
> reiterated," or any other verb of speaking.
>  
> I go, "what gives?"  And should I discourage my young children from
> saying this?
>  
> Angie Zelenak
> Freelance Writer and Media Advisor
> 1.888.481.2415
>  
> 2933 Fort Street
> Lincoln Park, MI  48146
> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web
> interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select
> "Join or leave the list"
> 
> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
> 

To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"

Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/