What is the time for you watch?

[GoodTaste]

Is (2) as correct as (1)? Do they share the same meaning?

(1) What is the time by your watch?
(2) What is the time for your watch?

 

[tzfujimino]

I don't think so.
Did you make (2)？

 

[GoodTaste]

Someone made a slip of the tongue, thus (1) became (2).

Well, the question here is whether (2) works. Why and why not? Traditionally, time is considered "God"-made and watch man-made. So logically, "time for one's watch" seems to be acceptable.

 

[Tarheel]

I haven't heard your sentence. (I probably never will.)

Try:

What time is it?

Or:

Do you have the time?

 

[emsr2d2]

We would only be likely to ask "What time is it by your watch?" if we thought for some reason that it would be a different time from that shown on our own watch.

 

[Rover_KE]

Also: What time do you make it?

 

[tedmc]

What time does your watch show?
What time is it on your watch?

We don't usually need to know the time with absolute accuracy, do we?

 

[Rover_KE]

What time does your watch show?
What time is it on your watch?

I've never heard native English-speakers ask for the time in either of those ways.

 

[tedmc]

I've never heard native English-speakers ask for the time in either of those ways.

I guess the thing about watch is redundant.

 

[emsr2d2]

I've never heard native English-speakers ask for the time in either of those ways.

Nor have I.

I guess the thing about the watch is redundant.

If you take any mention of a watch out of your two sentences, you are left with:

1. What time does show?
2. What time is it on?

:shock:

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Someone made a slip of the tongue, thus (1) became (2).

Well, the question here is whether (2) works. Why and why not? Traditionally, time is considered "God"-made and watch man-made. So logically, "time for one's watch" seems to be acceptable.

No.

Your watch doesn't need time. You don't give time to a watch. So time isn't for your watch. So #2 doesn't make sense.

If you want to ask someone to look at their watch and tell you the time, you can say:

- What does your watch say?
- What time do you have?

Those are natural.