Foreign language translation help please, “have been around”

[htam9876]

I am a guy whose first language is not English. Sometimes I feel hard to understand what an English word means exactly even resorting to dictionary or machine. So, I start this thread to learn English. Any help will be appreciated.

Liqiang Chen
Sept 18, 2020
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Yesterday, I encountered an English term“have been around” in a reply. What does it mean exactly in English? Does it mean "have been wandering in the nearby"?
Anyone can help? Thanks.

 

[berkeman]

Yesterday, I encountered an English term“have been around” in a reply. What does it mean exactly in English? Does it mean "have been wandering in the nearby"?

Welcome to PhysicsForums.

That expression in English usually refers to having a lot of experience. If no other context is given, it probably refers to social situations. If another context is given, it means that they have experience in that other context. Hope that helps.

 

[phinds]

I agree w/ Berkeman. It really has two meanings
(1) having a lot of experience. That is, someone who has "been around" a lot of different experiences and learned from them.
"Do you think he knows what he is talking about? Yeah, he's been around."
(2) Has been seen nearby recently.
"Have you see Joe lately? Yeah, he's been around"

 

[htam9876]

Can somebody say “I’ll be around next week”? Does it mean he’ll leave temporarily next week and do something elsewhere?

 

[phinds]

Can somebody say “I’ll be around next week”? Does it mean he’ll leave temporarily next week and do something elsewhere?

No, it means "I'll be around HERE next week".

 

[htam9876]

Oh, dear, that’s to say it is just the contrary meaning: he will not leave next week (and just will stay HERE to monitor what’s going on)!

 

[phinds]

Oh, dear, that’s to say it is just the contrary meaning: he will not leave next week (and just will stay HERE to monitor what’s going on)!

There is nothing "contrary" about the meaning. To English speakers, it is unambiguous. There is NO implication that he will be around to monitor anything, it's just a simple statement that he will be here.

He may even be here THIS week as well and also the week after next week. The statement doesn't say. It just says that he definitely will be around here next week.

 

[htam9876]

@ phinds:
Thank you. piggy got it: it's just a simple statement that he will be here.