Timeline for Has “call on someone” meaning “pay a short visit” fallen out of usage?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
29 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Dec 21, 2021 at 13:05 | comment | added | Edwin Ashworth | A 'conclusive' answer implies that the question should have been frozen after a few weeks, or that English is static. | |
| Dec 21, 2021 at 10:24 | answer | added | Greg Pyszczek | timeline score: 0 | |
| S Jan 30, 2018 at 6:07 | history | bounty ended | user 66974 | ||
| S Jan 30, 2018 at 6:07 | history | notice removed | user 66974 | ||
| Jan 30, 2018 at 6:07 | vote | accept | user 66974 | ||
| Jan 29, 2018 at 15:23 | answer | added | Lambie | timeline score: 1 | |
| Jan 29, 2018 at 14:58 | comment | added | user 66974 | @Lambie - that’s an interesting finding and a good point to start considering its usage nowadays. | |
| Jan 29, 2018 at 14:56 | comment | added | Lambie | @user159691 Right, well, I realized that call on probably originated with "calling cards" and the practice of making or paying (social) calls: hobancards.com/calling-cards-and-visiting-cards-brief-history These cards started at the end of the 18th century right through the 19th century. The people who carried them were called "callers". And the action was to call on someone. I should probably post an answer. I assume usage evolved from that...,. | |
| Jan 29, 2018 at 10:59 | comment | added | user 66974 | @Lambie - it appears to be a controversial issue whether it is dated or not as you can see from comments and answers. It might be a regional issue also with the same country. | |
| Jan 29, 2018 at 10:36 | answer | added | Steven Haag | timeline score: 3 | |
| Jan 28, 2018 at 20:05 | comment | added | Lambie | Come on, people; To** call on** meaning to visit is old fashioned, and was used extensively in former times, think horse and carriage. Today, to call on would only be used by people who read and somewhat tongue in cheek. Today, the Brits are always popping in and over and their cousins (Americans) are coming by or stopping by. | |
| Jan 28, 2018 at 4:39 | answer | added | Jesse Ivy | timeline score: 1 | |
| Jan 25, 2018 at 1:41 | history | tweeted | twitter.com/StackEnglish/status/956341181960671233 | ||
| Jan 24, 2018 at 12:29 | answer | added | KarlG | timeline score: 1 | |
| Jan 24, 2018 at 0:20 | comment | added | Robbie Goodwin | I think you're reading far, far too much into Dan's misunderstanding of a language not his own. I've only been listening for 60 years but I can't even imagine any native speaker failing to follow that… | |
| S Jan 23, 2018 at 12:00 | history | bounty started | user 66974 | ||
| S Jan 23, 2018 at 12:00 | history | notice added | user 66974 | Authoritative reference needed | |
| Jan 20, 2018 at 21:20 | history | edited | user 66974 | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Jan 20, 2018 at 16:18 | history | edited | user 66974 | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Jan 20, 2018 at 14:30 | history | edited | user 66974 | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Jan 20, 2018 at 14:19 | answer | added | Oldbag | timeline score: 3 | |
| Jan 20, 2018 at 13:04 | comment | added | user 66974 | @Mari-LouA - You have to look at the 3rd entry (visit) in the link of Cambridge Dictionary I posted. | |
| Jan 20, 2018 at 12:39 | comment | added | Mari-Lou A |
In the Cambridge Dictionary, it's the meaning of (ASK TO DO) that is American, the meaning that you cite does not specifically say it is AmEng. See the BrEng variant call on somebody
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| Jan 20, 2018 at 12:13 | comment | added | Phil Sweet | My feeling is that it is on the decline in the US, and tends to be used more for quick, non-social stops, as in call in at the cleaners and pick up the laundry. It's decline probably just reflects changes in social behavior stemming from cell phones. You can certainly still call in on aunt Martha at the nursing home and see how she's doing. | |
| Jan 20, 2018 at 10:15 | comment | added | Janus Bahs Jacquet | Doesn’t feel dated to me either. Go see would probably be more frequent, and call on may be a tad more formal and less colloquial, but I wouldn’t think twice about using it, and I doubt anyone would be considered old-fashioned for doing so either. | |
| Jan 20, 2018 at 8:48 | history | edited | user 66974 | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Jan 20, 2018 at 8:37 | history | edited | user 66974 | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Jan 20, 2018 at 8:11 | comment | added | Chris H | It's still current in British English, though "call in on" might be more common. | |
| Jan 20, 2018 at 8:06 | history | asked | user 66974 | CC BY-SA 3.0 |