One: How should I call you?
Two: What should I call you?
2006-06-09 02:51:54 · 33 answers · asked by immonen33 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
No they do not.
How, could mean by phone, yell, letter, pager etc
What should I call you could be, name, sir, mam, Dr, idiot etc.
Is this question for real? and if so. Who should we call for you?
2006-06-09 02:54:12 · answer #1 · answered by having_a_blonde_day_lol 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think it depends on who's asking the question...I mean who says "How should I call you?" That could mean that they are asking if you want to be addressed in a formal way or what name you are known as at work etc...if I call and ask for you.
What should I call you? That could be a variety of things from a pet name or nickname to "Do you prefer to be called Bobby or Robert or Bob or Mr. etc...
Or it could just be that the person asking is having a hard time with the english language.
2006-06-09 03:01:03 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The second sentence has only one connotation, and that is asking somewhat how they want you to refer to them.
The first sentence is more ambiguous. It could be asking what means of calling you to use, such as using the telephone. It could also mean the same as the second sentence. One of the definitions for how is "By what name", so asking "How should I call you" is a perfectly valid way of asking what name a person uses.
2006-06-09 02:58:33 · answer #3 · answered by fatal_flaw_death 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One: How should I call you?
Two: What should I call you?
The 2nd one sounds like you are asking the persons name. By using how, it could mean the tone in which you are calling, if you are calling by telephone, or asking for the person.
2006-06-09 02:54:14 · answer #4 · answered by your_veela_dream 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, they are two completely different sentences and two different meanings. One is asking about the method of calling, the other is asking what they should call you.
2006-06-09 02:53:39 · answer #5 · answered by ginaforu5448 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thay can mean the same thing like how should I call you could be asking what should I call you. I mean I don't think anyone would be inquiring about what contraption (other than a phone) they should use to call you.
2006-06-09 02:56:38 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How should I call you can have too meanings... one is the same as 'what should I call you' but if can also refer the type of call... like on a telephone vs. another method.
2006-06-09 02:55:50 · answer #7 · answered by lexie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. The first one seems to ask how a person would like to be addressed such as Doctor, Miss, Mrs., Madam, etc. The second one seems offensive because you are asking a person what they should be called. In other words its like asking "what are you?" an alien? a bug? One would usually ask people how they would like to be called instead of a what they should be called. "How" instead of "what" seems more polite
2006-06-09 07:59:40 · answer #8 · answered by BooGaruBoo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
depending on the way it is interpreted, yes, in some countries, the word when use as addressing another person in an informal means of query. the word what is formal. in the English language, the word how is a verb(?) a word that describes action of some sort action, it questions the word ( call)
the word what implies a direct noun to be used
i.e how should i call you? - you can use my name, or phone, or e-mail.
what should i call you - my name is mrs mickymouse...
see the difference?
2006-06-09 03:20:53 · answer #9 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They CAN mean the same thing. But "how should I call you?" can also mean "in which way should I call you?". The answer could be, by phone, by yelling out his/her name or something like that. "What should I call you?" will give the idea of "What name should I use to call you?" .
.
Cheers
2006-06-09 02:56:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends. It sounds to me like you just translated sentence one from Spanish, in which case, the Spanish phrase would mean the same as sentance two.
But if not, then they're not the same.
2006-06-09 02:54:53 · answer #11 · answered by Rashanka 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋