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Wed 17 Sep, 2014 08:40 pm
-I have clockphobia; I can't see a clock. (=If I see one, I'll go crazy)
Formerly my teacher told me this was possible, but my friend said no. Does it mean in UK English it is possible to say 'I/we can't' to mean 'not allowed (by nature or anything like that)', as opposed to 'able to', but never possible in US English?
@WBYeats,
Chronomentrophobia is the fear of clocks.
In any vernacular English slang, "can't" can be used to mean "should not".
@usery,
Thank you, but may I ask what variety of English is your 1st L?
I speak American English (and usually, but not always, understand BrE), and we can use it in both senses. Why do you think not? Is this the same "friend" who has misled you before?
@MontereyJack,
I assume you agree 'I can't see a clock' is correct in that sense (=I should not see a clock)?
(My friend's English is better than mine!)
@WBYeats,
WBYeats wrote:
I assume you agree 'I can't see a clock' is correct in that sense (=I should not see a clock)?
(My friend's English is better than mine!)
I'll jump in here. If you said "I can't see a clock", without any further explanation, I think most native speakers would assume that you wished to know the time, but there was no clock in your field of view. If you said "I can't look at a clock" they might begin to get the idea.
@contrex,
Or I can't abide looking at clocks.
This is my favourite phobia.
Anatidaephobia is defined as a pervasive, irrational fear that one is being watched by a duck. The anatidaephobic individual fears that no matter where they are or what they are doing, a duck watches.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Anatidaephobia
@WBYeats,
It's okay, or "I can't catch sight of a clock...."
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