Monday, June 25, 2018

"Terms / Phrases" and their Use

Now, you all know how much I value people being on time.  With that, I acknowledge, people mean different things with slightly different wording, heck, even with the same wording.  For example. 

"I will see you at 6" versus "I will see you around 6"

If you say, you'll see me at 6, I anticipate a more punctual 6 pm arrival, versus "around 6"... maybe you show up a little before or a little after 6.  How much before or after is "around"... I suppose that depends on the person.

Myself, personally, if I say I will show up around 6, it probably means not much earlier than 6, but potentially as late as 6:10-6:15.  To me, 6:30 is not "around 6," but again, that is my interpretation, and I understand that people interpret differently.

The one phrase that is currently on my phrase-shit-list is "right away."  Again, I acknowledge, people interpret things differently.  However, when people call, wanting to come the same day, and I say that I am home now (when they ask if they can come "right away") and they say ok, great, they will see me "right away"... and an hour and a half later, they are not here... to me, that is NOT "right away."  Maybe 30 minutes time is right away, depending on where they're located of course, but I, personally, would not tell someone, "I will be there right away," and show up an 90 minutes later.  To me, that just isn't right away.  Maybe that's "in a while" or "in a bit" or some other phrase.

I'm sure the people who do this sort of thing are not the same people who are reading this blog, but I put this out there, so hopefully everyone can remember, when you're coming over to someone's house... someone who may be waiting on you to arrive, so they can leave / do other things... your terminology is important.  That is all. 

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