Not something I have spent a lot of time thinking about with regard to language. Americans use it as a tool to make a point. It can be verbal, written, gestured, both over and under. We know what we mean and by using it, we make the assumption that the person or persons with whom we are communicating either knows us or the situation enough to tell the difference.
Most of the time, in general conversation, there is even an element of humor inherent in its application, rarely malice, and almost never truth for its own sake. And everything floats along fine if we all are in on the meaning of the measure.
What happens if I am using inches and you are using centimeters. Not much. We will figure it out, laugh and keep going. If it reaches more epic proportions then you have an episode of I Love Lucy or Three’s Company. But still everyone is laughing.
Now think about it - one is being funny and the other is just trying to understand the words. Chaos, frustration and even anger. Along the same lines as the adage “there is a little truth in every sarcasm”, we go back and forth about why we exaggerate, what it really means and is it true.
When I say “everyone does that” or “nobody will understand this”, we know it isn’t necessarily true. There will “always” be someone, somewhere that does or doesn’t do what ever it is. But why do we “insist” on continuing to use such words. Even insist has the connotation of exaggeration. Because am I actually insisting, is it a habit or am I just being lazy.
The author I am currently working with regularly asks why don’t you (the proverbial American that is) just say what you mean? And for the most part, individually I think I do, but is my version of informal speech which many of my friend would contend is anything but relaxed still too peppered with inconsistencies?
Okay and with that question simmering away, here is the next. Who is responsible if there is a misunderstanding? Especially if we both have declared the yard/meter stick by which we measure. If you know I tend to exaggerate, is it your responsibility to filter what you hear or is it mine to be more specific. And them I just being lazy by not being specific or are you being lazy for not trying to understand?
© 2008 wordchef
