Posted on 01/22/2014 9:16:54 AM PST by don-o
A friend of mine recently started a conversation with these words: "Don't take this the wrong way…"
I wish I could tell you what she said next. But I wasn't listening—my brain had stalled. I was bracing for the sentence that would follow that phrase, which experience has taught me probably wouldn't be good.
Certain phrases just seem to creep into our daily speech. We hear them a few times and suddenly we find ourselves using them. We like the way they sound, and we may find they are useful. They may make it easier to say something difficult or buy us a few extra seconds to collect our next thought.
Yet for the listener, these phrases are confusing. They make it fairly impossible to understand, or even accurately hear, what the speaker is trying to say.
Consider: "I want you to know…" or "I'm just saying…" or "I hate to be the one to tell you this…" Often, these phrases imply the opposite of what the words mean, as with the phrase, "I'm not saying…" as in "I'm not saying we have to stop seeing each other, but…"
Take this sentence: "I want to say that your new haircut looks fabulous." In one sense, it's true: The speaker does wish to tell you that your hair looks great. But does he or she really think it is so or just want to say it? It's unclear.
Language experts have textbook names for these phrases—"performatives," or "qualifiers." Essentially, taken alone, they express a simple thought, such as "I am writing to say…" At first, they seem harmless, formal, maybe even polite. But coming before another statement, they often signal that bad news, or even some dishonesty on the part of the speaker, will follow.
(Excerpt) Read more at m.us.wsj.com ...
“I mean ...”
[I mean, that drives me up the wall!]
I would welcome these nuanced phrases from those around me, here at work. Agreed, that most in the article contain a thought that negates or makes unclear the thought after it (I want to say that your hair is nice), rather than just saying: your hair is nice.
However, all I hear at work is: “I’m all about getting it done”.. or “and I’m like, hey what are you doing, and he’s like, I’m cleaning the car, and then I’m like, but we have to go”...etc...
I would welcome a change...any change.
Let me be perfectly clear.......usually proceeds another 0bama lie.
“With all due respect ....”
I think this article also underscores just how difficult communication is. Communication is often complicated by the language we share but the history we don’t share.
Bless his heart. God love him. Ouch
The thoughts in this article are certainly pertinent but are one sided. When I tee-up a topic I am giving the person a chance to prepare to hear something I know they won’t like so they won’t react defensively without thinking. It acknowledges their feelings and their position from the get go and allows me to law out a counter-position with less confrontation. It also, in a different sort of conversation, expresses my remorse for being on the other side of an argument where the person is apparently expecting me to agree. Not remorse for what I believe but remorse that I am stepping apart by declaring my belief.
"It seems like you can say almost anything you want to the generals as long as you say 'With all due respect' first." (A paraphrased quote from a junior officer who had been in a meeting including senior officers)
To be perfectly honest, and don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t know any other way to say it ... I think you should post the non-mobile formatted version of this article.
Usually, everything that follows “clearly” is bullshit.....
"Most people think..."
"Polls show..."
"Hi. I'm (Bill/Hillary) Clinton..."
"While I don't disagree..."
"With all due respect..."
All directly precede a big lie.
Especially if spoken by Bob Beckel.
"Make no mistake" is another one.
"To be honest" means everything I said up to this point was a lie.
Elizabeth: Don’t take this wrong, but I disagree.
(Elizabeth: If you take that correctly, you’ll understand that I merely have a different opinion than you. If you take it wrong, you may see it as a personal attack on your cognitive ability.)
“I’m not gonna lie...”
My pet peeve: “I don’t mean to interrupt, but ....” Yes, you do mean to interrupt or you wouldn’t be interrupting. “Sorry to interrupt” is the thing to say.
A bit of wisdom: If you start a sentence with the phrase ‘I really shouldn’t say this’, stop immediately and follow your own advice.
“I hear what you’re saying but....”
(One of my favorites)
“Folks ...”
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