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I have read the similar thread on the forum, but still I somewhat hesitate about this topic. Let me sum up my take on it in the following way; please do me a favor and correct me if I'm wrong:

  • I'm cold/hot ("To me they mean:" = It's so cold/hot in here.)

  • I'm cold/hot. (= I have a low/high libido.)

  • I feel cold/hot. (= Possibly because I am ill --- I have a clod / I am feverish.)

Bella Swan
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A-friend
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  • I feel cold/hot (= Possibly because it is cold! / I am hot! :) – FumbleFingers Dec 29 '19 at 15:52
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    If you find the temperature of your surroundings uncomfortable, you would say "I'm cold/hot" or "I feel cold/hot." I think you might also use feel if you seem to be colder/hotter than you would expect, perhaps because you are unwell. I don't think anyone would use cold/hot in the sexual/emotional sense when speaking of themselves. – Kate Bunting Dec 29 '19 at 16:09
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    I'm not convinced this would ever be a "hot question". Too much variability regarding both actual context, and how far specific native speakers habitually stretch the range of metaphoric usages (of which there are at least dozens of relatively distinct associations). – FumbleFingers Dec 29 '19 at 16:32
  • Thank you both @FumbleFingersReinstateMonica and Kate Bunting. But I during my research I found out that in American English people chiefly avoid using the "feel structure" while it refers to sickness often times. It would be so much better if I mentioned that I need to look it over from American English point of view. Now please let me know whether what you mentioned applies to AE too? (I'm sure Americans, at least regionally, prefer not to use "feel" in this context.) – A-friend Dec 29 '19 at 16:32
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    I don't see any significant difference in relative prevalence for I feel / am* hot* in British or American English. No US/UK usage split here, I think. – FumbleFingers Dec 29 '19 at 16:36
  • Yes, @FumbleFingersReinstateMonica, it may be correct in metaphoric usage, but in some sources, Americans have mentioned that they avoid using "feel" in this situation. Please have a look on the following link: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/im-cold-vs-i-feel-cold.471467/ – A-friend Dec 29 '19 at 16:37
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    I see nothing there about a US/UK split along those lines. Which I'm sure doesn't meaningfully exist anyway. It's something that maybe means more to non-native speakers (which feasibly might mean that "pseudo-native Anglophones" who're actually more at home with Spanish might see things differently). – FumbleFingers Dec 29 '19 at 16:40
  • I apologize @FumbleFingersReinstateMonica, I shared the wrong link. I meant: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/hot-get-hot-vs-feel-hot.2658274/ – A-friend Dec 29 '19 at 16:45
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    Again, nothing about any supposed UK/US usage split. Which in this context would be more to do with the fact that Americans use definitely tend to use *get* rather different to Brits (especially as concerns PP *gotten* rather than *got*). – FumbleFingers Dec 29 '19 at 16:49

1 Answers1

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These all depend on the context of course, but I would consider five of the six uses completely standard. I don't think the use of "I feel" or "I'm (I am)" makes any meaningful difference.

The only one I wouldn't consider standard, though in a rather narrow set of circumstances not necessarily incorrect, would be the use of I'm cold = I have a low libido.

To express low libido, the following would be understood (in US English);

  • I'm not in the mood,
  • I'm not feeling it.

Less accurately as it deals more specifically with consent, but commonly conflated, low libido is expressed as a lack of desire, such as;

  • I don't want to (have sex),
  • I'd rather not.

There are many more commonly understood ways to express high libido than I could list. Below are just a few.

I'm (I am);

  • horny,
  • hot,
  • feeling sexy,
  • randy

And of course compliments to your partner and inquiries about their level of desire or willingness to have sex can carry a message of high libido without ever explicitly referencing your own libido.

KnotWright
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  • Thank you very much @KnotWright, but I am wondering how shall one refer to it in English? Perhaps, you just say "I have a high/low libido"! However, it sounds a bit stilted to my non-native ears. – A-friend Dec 31 '19 at 08:11