atw: Re: Windows-free at last.

So, Terry, Michael writes "Please excuse my absence from this forum for the
past several weeks" and we are suppose to read that as "Hi, nice to see you.
Sorry it's been such a long time. I've been missing your virtual company".
Why would Michael mean the latter but write the former? Isn't precision
something we pride ourselves on as professional writers.  Or is this a new
form of non-literal English?  If the latter, can someone help me improve my
emotional intelligence by pointing out the cues in Michael's words that
should have alerted me to the fact that I should read it in a non-literal
manner. (And then point me to the translation guide that would have given me
the true and proper meaning.)
 
Or perhaps someone should help Michael improve his emotional intelligence by
pointing out the cues in his words that should have alerted him that some
people will read his words literally (and take them as Michael blowing his
own trumpet).
 
Sorry Terry, sorry Dave, but this is not Alice in Wonderland, where words
can mean whatever you want them to mean.
 
 
 
 
Geoffrey Marnell
Principal Consultant
Abelard Consulting Pty Ltd
T: +61 3 9596 3456
F: +61 3 9596 3625
W:  <http://www.abelard.com.au/> www.abelard.com.au
 

  _____  

From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Terry Dowling
Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2009 11:46 AM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: Windows-free at last.



Having a bad day Geoff?

 

I don't purport to be speaking on behalf of Micky, but the way I took the
context was "Hi, nice to see you. Sorry it's been such a long time." And
maybe even "I'm sorry 'cos I've been missing your virtual company."

 

The thing, it seems to me, is Micky was creating polite conversation.

 

Cheers,

Terry

  _____  

From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Geoffrey Marnell
Sent: Thursday, 5 November 2009 7:45 AM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: Windows-free at last.

 

"out of context"! Well what was the context? Many subscribers don't post for
weeks or months on end. Do they feel a need to be polite and apologise for
their absence? No. But you do. So what's your special context that I didn't
pick up?

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