When I asked my friend, "would you like to come to the party tomorrow?" he answered, "thanks, but I am not around" does it mean he is not in the NYC or just not around the hood??
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2There is no way to know how far away he will be from him saying "I am not around". He might visit a friend in the next block, he might fly to the moon.– skymningenDec 3, 2013 at 7:13
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Per colloquial usage, your friend apparently 'will be away' at the time of your party. The am is an incorrect but common substitute for the 'future present/past-tense'. As for the actual question of around, your friend is right: the distance is not relevant, only that it's enough to keep him from attending the party.– KrisDec 3, 2013 at 7:22
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I have to wonder why it is that we get so many questions from people who don't ask their friends right away, but instead wait to ask random strangers off the Internet instead. Your friend knew for a fact what he meant, he is your friend, he was right there, and you were already engaged in a conversation with him. We can only guess, and we don't have anywhere enough clues to guess correctly. "Not around" might well mean that he will kill himself.– RegDwigнtDec 3, 2013 at 12:14
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I dont understand why you guys get so hassle! And of course I would like to ask him where he is in stead of asking here! Just because he did not answer!– Little FDec 3, 2013 at 13:58
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@Kris: what on earth is "incorrect" about am? The so-called "present tense" is one of the many ways of expressing futurity in English, along with modal forms such as will be and periphrastic phrases such as going to be– Colin FineDec 3, 2013 at 15:01
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1 Answer
He means that he isn't in a location that will be convenient to attend the event. The actual distance really depends on context - the time frame, the location, and the modes of transport available.
Some examples:
In an office context:
'Are you able to sit in on this meeting this afternoon?'
'Sorry, I am not around then'. It's not likely that they've left the city in that time frame, perhaps they're just on a different floor or have left the office.
A general city wide context:
'Are you going to the city parade on Saturday?'
'No, I won't be around'. That it's a city event and they won't be around, implies that they won't be in the city.
A more local event:
'Will you attend our block party this weekend?'
'No, I won't be around'. It means they're not close enough for it to be convenient to attend. Whether they are on the otherside of the city, or out of the city for the weekend, it's not sure.
answered Dec 3, 2013 at 8:07
