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Ask for help > vocabulary question
vocabulary question
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ELOJOLIE274
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vocabulary question
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Hi,
i �m reading Joyland by my favorite author, Mr. Stephen King and i need your help with a sentence:
here are the sentences i need you to help me with
Ronnie ... said: "I don �t see any foul-line, Mr. Allen."
Gary looked at him ... "Listen up, son, I got three things for you. Ready?"
"First thing. You can call me Gary or Pops or come here you old sonofabitch, bug I ain �t no schoolteacher, so can the mister."
CAN in the last part of this sentence is obviously not the modal, for me it is a verb with the meaning "forget / don �t use" but does it also have the meaning "put in a can"? I �m wondering how I would translate it if someone asked me... my question is: is SK using this sentence to make a point, or because it was a typical expression in the 1970s, or in the Carolinas, or for any other reason that would explain why he didn �t use "forget the mister"...
thanks for your help!
Elodie
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15 Feb 2014
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PhilipR
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In your sentence, �can the mister � means the guy doesn �t want to be called mister anymore. Can is an informal way of saying quit, or stop using something. Stop calling me mister would be an alternative.
Another meaning of the verb to can is indeed put something in a can. A canner is the person who does this :-)
Btw you can also can someone, or get canned which means you get fired. |
15 Feb 2014
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cunliffe
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In that situation, round here we say �lose �. As in (an everyday occurrence at school), �Lose the bag, Mario. �
I didn �t know that about �can �, but Philip is obviously right. I think the direct British English would be �bin �.
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16 Feb 2014
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MoodyMoody
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Usually when we use can for bin in the USA, we preface it with trash or garbage. Right now, I need to empty my garbage can; it is overflowing! However, I think when Philip mentioned "canner," he meant someone who preserves food by putting it into cans or jars. I believe your term would be tin.
My mother is actually a canner who makes wonderful apple butter and pear-ginger chutney. My husband thinks her pepper jelly is the best! |
16 Feb 2014
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ELOJOLIE274
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thank you so much! I had not thought that "can" also means "bin"! so it means "throw away" as well, right?
thanks again :)
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16 Feb 2014
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douglas
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"Can" is also a derivitive ( a bit rough and colloquial--tends to be more popular amongst less-educated working class) of "shit-can" meaning trash can (BE: rubbish bin). So he means here to throw it away or discard it (i.e stop using it).
Canning someone also refers to throwing them out (of the position).
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16 Feb 2014
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cunliffe
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Canned also means pissed i.e drunk. |
16 Feb 2014
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