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Taking people's questions literally

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245

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    #32
    Water John
    Registered Users Posts: 21,117 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    Sorry BB, did not recognise the OP there as the fella who'd sort out the losers in our society.


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    #33
    indioblack
    Registered Users Posts: 1,936 ✭✭✭indioblack


    Miss Demeanour wrote: »
    You're welcome.
    Kate is Johns neighbour.
    Kate, John, Dan, Bran - there's a lot of people in this thread.


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    #34
    Water John
    Registered Users Posts: 21,117 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    Well, Boards tends to be a Group thing, so it's not a monologue.


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    #35
    timthumbni
    Registered Users Posts: 4,845 ✭✭✭timthumbni


    I read out john's reply as if he is Hal 9000 from 2001.

    Kate: are you on the all bran john?
    John- I'm eating my breakfast Kate....

    Kate: hmmm, ok john can you open the door please?
    John- I'm sorry Kate, I'm afraid I can't do that.

    Kate: what's the problem, john?
    John- I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do Kate.........


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    #36
    Summer wind
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,285 ✭✭✭Summer wind


    I was at my then boyfriends house and was in the sitting room with his little cousin who was about 3 years old. The little cousin asked me to tie his shoelace. Just as I started to tie the lace my boyfriends aunt walked into the room and asked "do you have a job". I replied "yes I'm a hairdresser". Then I realised she meant the child had given me the job of tying his lace. She thought it was funny and laughed but 20 years later it still makes me cringe.


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    #37
    corner of hells
    Registered Users Posts: 8,356 ✭✭✭corner of hells


    its me the guy from the bar esat digifone - YouTube


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    #38
    indioblack
    Registered Users Posts: 1,936 ✭✭✭indioblack


    Water John wrote: »
    Well, Boards tends to be a Group thing, so it's not a monologue.
    My post was not to be taken literally - as per the op!


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    #39
    Carry
    Registered Users Posts: 1,024 ✭✭✭Carry


    lazybones32 wrote: »
    I no longer ask "How are you?" as a way of saying 'hello'. Some stupid b*tch actually told me - in detail.

    That was probably me :D Oi, but you take back the stupid b*tch!

    Actually the question was "how's it going this fine morning" at a petrol station when I first came to Ireland many moons ago. I had a terrible hangover and just told the poor guy in detail how I was feeling and why. I've seen his eyes glaze over but just couldn't stop myself.

    I thought the Irish are awfully nice being so interested in my well-being, so I thought. Everybody asked me, everyone heard the full story :o.

    Relax, I've learned to say "I'm grand, thanks" even if I feel like dying.

    Still, I'm wondering why the Irish ask questions but don't want to hear the honest answer?
    And when asked a honest question themselves don't give a straight answer but some roundabout baloney? :confused:


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    #40
    Hande hoche!
    Registered Users Posts: 7,423 ✭✭✭Hande hoche!


    indioblack wrote: »
    Kate, John, Dan, Bran - there's a lot of people in this thread.
    Still better than Rachel and Steve.


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    #41
    indioblack
    Registered Users Posts: 1,936 ✭✭✭indioblack


    Hande hoche! wrote: »
    Still better than Rachel and Steve.

    Infinitely better, you're right - whoever they are.


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    #42
    coffee_cake
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 81,310 CMod ✭✭✭✭coffee_cake


    An honest answer is "ah I'm dying of a hangover sure ya know yourself" then everyone laughs and gets on with their day
    You don't have to lie or give your life story
    :p


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    #43
    Colser
    Registered Users Posts: 5,572 ✭✭✭Colser


    Does my bum look big in this?


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    #44
    indioblack
    Registered Users Posts: 1,936 ✭✭✭indioblack


    Carry wrote: »
    That was probably me :D Oi, but you take back the stupid b*tch!

    Actually the question was "how's it going this fine morning" at a petrol station when I first came to Ireland many moons ago. I had a terrible hangover and just told the poor guy in detail how I was feeling and why. I've seen his eyes glaze over but just couldn't stop myself.

    I thought the Irish are awfully nice being so interested in my well-being, so I thought. Everybody asked me, everyone heard the full story :o.

    Relax, I've learned to say "I'm grand, thanks" even if I feel like dying.

    Still, I'm wondering why the Irish ask questions but don't want to hear the honest answer?
    And when asked a honest question themselves don't give a straight answer but some roundabout baloney? :confused:
    Had something like this from a lady who said she was from Transylvania[!]
    " 'Morning" says I.
    "No, it's not a good morning" she retorted.
    "I never said it was" I replied. "I just said " 'Morning".
    A bit unfair on my part - she was having a bad day.


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    #45
    mzungu
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,306 Mod ✭✭✭✭mzungu


    Carry wrote: »
    Still, I'm wondering why the Irish ask questions but don't want to hear the honest answer?
    It ain't just the Irish. It's all about the symbolic gesture really. Of course, the answer is already known but the rules of social etiquette dictate that we don't say it. It's how we deal with delicate situations and this acts as a silent pact between people that we all take part in, or 'symbolic interaction' if you will.

    For eg. If somebody asks you if you liked a song they wrote and if you didn't think much of it you might say: "It was different" in order to spare their feelings. But if you decide to go full Simon Cowell on it and say something like: "It was off key and I can't say I enjoyed it". Then, more than likely some offence will be caused there. It breaks the silent pact and the ignored truth is now 'out there' and then has to be dealt with. Whereas before things were just easier when you both knew but kept it to yourselves never acknowledging to one another the truth because of the rules of etiquette and the discomfort it will cause when we do not abide by them.


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    #46
    paralysed
    Site Banned Posts: 391 ✭✭paralysed


    bb1234567 wrote: »
    I remember you from another thread where you told an old lady to go stuff it for telling you youd far in life or something. Going off that and this, and some other posts, you seem overly aggressive with people for no apparent reason. Everyones not out to get you ,you know
    It great that boards is anonymous, but you still get the odd few ones who just can't let an old thread go and hold it against you. We're moving on now.


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    #47
    paralysed
    Site Banned Posts: 391 ✭✭paralysed


    Summer wind wrote: »
    I was at my then boyfriends house and was in the sitting room with his little cousin who was about 3 years old. The little cousin asked me to tie his shoelace. Just as I started to tie the lace my boyfriends aunt walked into the room and asked "do you have a job". I replied "yes I'm a hairdresser". Then I realised she meant the child had given me the job of tying his lace. She thought it was funny and laughed but 20 years later it still makes me cringe.
    You see, quite an easy mistake to make - perhaps if you weren't so obliging you would have assessed the situation before answering.


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    #48
    Birneybau
    Registered Users Posts: 10,223 ✭✭✭✭Birneybau


    What's going on here then?


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    #49
    paralysed
    Site Banned Posts: 391 ✭✭paralysed


    mzungu wrote: »
    For eg. If somebody asks you if you liked a song they wrote and if you didn't think much of it you might say: "It was different" in order to spare their feelings. But if you decide to go full Simon Cowell on it and say something like: "It was off key and I can't say I enjoyed it". Then, more than likely some offence will be caused there. It breaks the silent pact and the ignored truth is now 'out there' and then has to be dealt with. Whereas before things were just easier when you both knew but kept it to yourselves never acknowledging to one another the truth because of the rules of etiquette and the discomfort it will cause when we do not abide by them.
    I get what you mean, but I'd argue the opposite - only weak and easily manipulated people like being lied to. It's selfish to lie to them. I'll give them (even if I hope to bed them) the honest answer while making whatever effort I can to phrase it in an inoffensive way.


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    #50
    bb1234567
    Registered Users Posts: 5,494 ✭✭✭bb1234567


    paralysed wrote: »
    It great that boards is anonymous, but you still get the odd few ones who just can't let an old thread go and hold it against you. We're moving on now.
    Okay well leaving the past behind, basing my entire opinion on this thread alone I would say you are overly aggressive with people for no reason


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    #51
    Carry
    Registered Users Posts: 1,024 ✭✭✭Carry


    bluewolf wrote: »
    An honest answer is "ah I'm dying of a hangover sure ya know yourself" then everyone laughs and gets on with their day
    You don't have to lie or give your life story
    :p

    Thanks :D But what do you do when the very same person (as it happens occasionally with one Irish neighbour) starts to tell you "ah sure, don't I know. Wasn't I meself at Murphy's and met old Pat..." You get the picture.
    mzungu wrote: »
    It ain't just the Irish. It's all about the symbolic gesture really. Of course, the answer is already known but the rules of social etiquette dictate that we don't say it. It's how we deal with delicate situations and this acts as a silent pact between people that we all take part in, or 'symbolic interaction' if you will. (...)

    Thank you, a very good wording of all the things I've had to learn.
    I still think it's a cultural thing. The nuances of symbolic gestures in Ireland is still a balancing act for foreigners, even European ones.
    I actually published a book about "How to blunder in Ireland as a German" (rough translation of the original title). Was fun to write it but still leaves me puzzled about the Irish way of communication.

    Being asked "isn't it a lovely day?" when it's actually wet and miserable gave me the evil eye when I answered it just like that:miserable. Right, now I say "not bad for this time of year". Gosh you have to tiptoe around the weather remarks.

    I trained myself to find it lovable how people ask questions just to get into a conversation. But still deep in my heart I'm more of a literal person and not shy of calling a spade a spade.


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    #52
    paralysed
    Site Banned Posts: 391 ✭✭paralysed


    bb1234567 wrote: »
    Okay well leaving the past behind, basing my entire opinion on this thread alone I would say you are overly aggressive with people for no reason
    You can't tell that based on written words. I don't think aggressive is the word you're looking for.


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    #53
    Esel
    Registered Users Posts: 22,002 ✭✭✭✭Esel


    Colser wrote: »
    Does my bum look big in this?

    In this what? In this room?

    Not your ornery onager



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    #54
    Birneybau
    Registered Users Posts: 10,223 ✭✭✭✭Birneybau


    Esel wrote: »
    Colser wrote: »
    Does my bum look big in this?

    In this what? In this room?

    This reality


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    #55
    Miss Demeanour
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭Miss Demeanour


    Birneybau wrote: »
    This reality

    The answer is always always "no!".....



















    Or "I'm eating my breakfast Kate"


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    #56
    paralysed
    Site Banned Posts: 391 ✭✭paralysed


    Miss Demeanour wrote: »
    Or "I'm eating my breakfast Kate"
    Oh for goodness sake. That's it, I'm changing her name!


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    #57
    Miss Demeanour
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭Miss Demeanour


    paralysed wrote: »
    Oh for goodness sake. That's it, I'm changing her name!

    Who pissed in your all bran!?


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    #58
    Pac1Man
    Registered Users Posts: 4,394 ✭✭✭Pac1Man


    Is this a quiz?


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    #59
    Shannon757
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭Shannon757


    Birneybau wrote: »
    What's going on here then?

    I'm eating my breakfast Kate


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    #60
    CelticRambler
    Registered Users Posts: 6,696 ✭✭✭CelticRambler


    Water John wrote: »
    Bran was Setanta's dog.

    And they ate him? :eek:

    That bit was cut out of the story when I learnt it at school.



    At least once a month I get a text from my best friend: "How are are things ...?" I've never answered because I thought it'd be impolite to butt in before he finished his question. :rolleyes:


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    #61
    paralysed
    Site Banned Posts: 391 ✭✭paralysed


    Shannon757 wrote: »
    I'm eating my breakfast Kate
    yer all so immature... really annoying.


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