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About the usage of the verb "call"

hirashin

Sempai
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8 Apr 2004
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Dear native English speakers,
which would be used?

(a) Please call a doctor at once.
(b) I called a cat, but she gave me a quick glance and went away.
(c) I called the cat by her name.
(d) Mother is calling me home.

Thanks in advance.

Hirashin
 
(b) I called a cat, but she gave me a quick glance and went away.
I think this is technically speaking valid, but that use of "call" is usually used when you're talking about using a phone. The more usual thing you would say in this situation is "call to", e.g. "I called to a cat...".

Everything else looks normal to me.
 
(b) becomes all the more funny (not really) when you think of it in the context of catcalling (most often, a man yelling an inappropriate remark at a good-looking woman in public).
 
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