[General] Can I say He is pig?

[cubezero3]

Hello, there.

I know people can say He is a pig. But can people say He is pig, to express that he is deemed as equal to this kind of animal?

Many thanks

Richard

 

[Tdol]

I would always use the indefinite article. He is pig does not mean He is equal to a pig to me; you could try something like He's on the level of a pig, but it seems unnecessary to me.

 

[JMurray]

To say "he's piggish" means he's crude, ill mannered, greedy etc. And so is synonymous with "he's a pig".

 

[TheParser]

Hello, there.

I know people can say He is a pig. But can people say He is pig, to express that he is deemed as equal to this kind of animal?

Many thanks

Richard

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) If you are talking directly to him, you could yell:

You pig!!!

(2) Of course, it would not be a good idea to say that to

anyone -- unless he is a really close friend and he knows that

you are just kidding. (Of course, you would never say that

to a young lady!!!)

 

[Tdol]

In some areas of the UK there's Pig off!, with a meaning like Get lost.

 

[Raymott]

Hello, there.

I know people can say He is a pig. But can people say He is pig, to express that he is deemed as equal to this kind of animal?

Many thanks

Richard

You can say, "He is a pig", but you might not be understood. There is no absolutely clear meaning of what a pig-type person is in English.

If a woman says it about a man, she generally means he's rude and ungentlemanly.
In some cases, it means that a person is messy and untidy, and says nothing about they treat other people.
A "pig" can be someone who eats to much, or is fat.
Police are sometimes called "pigs".

What does "pig" mean to you when used for a person?

 

[Soup]

Hello, there.

I know people can say He is a pig. But can people say He is pig, to express that he is deemed as equal to this kind of animal?

Many thanks

Richard

My Chinese-speaking colleagues use the noun pig in that context to mean born in the year of the pig (e.g., I'm Pig). English speakers use the zero article in that context too, for example, I'm Leo (meaning, my zodiac sign is Leo). So I see no reason why I'm Pig should be deemed ungrammatical. However, native speakers will find it odd because pig is not an expected zero-article noun.

 

[5jj]

My Chinese-speaking colleagues use the noun pig in that context to mean born in the year of the pig (e.g., I'm Pig). English speakers use the zero article in that context too, for example, I'm Leo (meaning, my zodiac sign is Leo). So I see no reason why I'm Pig should be deemed ungrammatical. However, native speakers will find it odd because pig is not an expected zero-article noun.

So, most of us native speakers having no knowledge of Chinese, 'I'm Pig' is unacceptable in standard English except in the very limited context of our discussing our birth year, Chinese-style.

Fjj (I'm dog).

 

[Barb_D]

But I wouldn't say "I'm Gemini." I'd say "I'm a Gemini." I don't see this as a good parallel at all!