I shaved my moustache off last weekend (Causative Form VS Past Simple)

[northpath]

Picture this: I have a shaver. Last weekend, I used it to get rid of my moustache. What should I tell “I shaved my moustache off last weekend.” or “I had my moustache shaved off last weekend.”?

Picture that: I have a washing machine. Last weekend I used it to wash my clothes. What should I tell “I washed my clothes last weekend.” or “I had my clothes washed last weekend.”?

End finally, I have a highly sophisticated home robot that can cook, clean, mow a lawn etc. Last weekend I used it to mow my lawn (it did it completely on its own). What should I tell “I mowed my lawn last weekend.” or “I had my lawn mowed last weekend.”?

 

[5jj]

You did not get somebody to shave off your moustache, or wash your clothes for you. Don't use causative have.

When you have a machine that cooks, cleans and mows lawns, you will perhaps say I got my Do-it-all robot to mow the lawn.

 

[northpath]

So, Causative Form relates to people only and will never relate to any machine in the future, right?

 

[5jj]

It generally related to people only, yes.

I have no idea how it will be used in the future, when machines become more human-like.

 

[Tdol]

It might relate to shaving machines of the future, but they are yet to be invented. When you, or your partner, can order a speaker to tell a machine to whip your moustache off, we may have a causative.