"Jim Lesurf" wrote

Overall, yes, that seems fine to me. However the snag is that some people
may have not followed the context. What you said above makes sense to me,
but we have the situation where we may have to re-explain this context to
avoid confusions. Plus my impression that the use of 'perceive' in
situations like this has more than once led to arguments at
cross-purposes.
Indeed, once people start to get 'emotional' about this they may become
unwilling to accept this has happened once the fuse has been lit. :-)


The thing is, does this really matter? As well as context, we have the
circumstances to consider: This is an open forum attended *voluntarily* by a
cross-section of different people with varying communication skills,
restricted to the written word only - no handwaving, face-pulling &c. and no
pix or diagrams unles they post a bit of Show n Tell. AFAIAC, there is some
duty of understanding on the part of the 'communicatee(s)' and it's up to
them to get clarification on any point that may have been poorly made.

If things get a little heated from time to time it's not a big problem in my
book - that's mainly because it is possible to post into this sort of forum
with a high degree of impunity and I have to admit it can spice things up a
bit from time to time. (Turgid exchanges of factual accuracy in clipped,
precise, *correct* terms may be helpful and informative but they aren't
always very entertaining!! ;-)



Hence my reaction to pop up a 'warning flag' that this can occur. I'd
agree
though that my wish for more 'precise' language can, itself, get in the
way
of some discussions. With 'fuzzy' real languages like English you can't
always get clarity without some fuss first...

I may be more sensitive than usual to this as I am currently reading the
'answers' perhaps sic in exam papers. Noting how some people seem to
misunderstand what most have found perfectly clear!


That's the nature of human beans. I don't like 'examinations' per se - I
think it's as good a way of weeding out possible future genius as you can
get! I wouldn't be surprised if the guy who was destined to find a cure for
the common cold/cancer (or both) wasn't stopped in his tracks by the
'examination system'!! (Think Winston Churchill here....)



I suppose that the reality is that whatever words or explanations you use,
the diversity of human minds, and the fuzzness of language, means that
some
will not understand what was actually meant. All you can do then is to try
alternative approaches until sufficient pennies have dropped. :-)


Indeed - consider your drift well and truly caught!! ;-)