Literal thinking

I was listening to the radio the other day and they were talking about things that you’ve only just learnt or realised that everyone else seems to just know, the typical - “I was today years old when I realised…”. Made me think of some things that I didn’t register about straight away, and now wonder whether this is part of my autistic way of thinking about things, that I just thought about things literally. Some examples… 

On for sale sites when people put something about collections, I always thought they meant that the person that bought the item had to be a collector to purchase it, as in a stamp collector or a coin collector, like it was their hobby. Not that they had to physically be able to go and collect it from the person selling. 

In the song ‘one man went to mow, went to mow-a-meadow’ I always assumed there was a place called mow-a-meadow. I didn’t realise he was going to a meadow to mow/cut the grass.

when people put ‘Tia’ at the bottom of a post I thought it was that their name was Tia and it always amused me how many people shared the same name. It was only recently that I realised it was ‘thanks in advance’ 

Has anyone else got any examples of things like this? Do other people do it? Is it an autistic literal thinking thing or am I just stupid? :) 

Parents
  • It’s not so much the riddles that get me, it’s when someone can say something to me and then I will go ask another person expecting the answer. Then I get laughed at for taking it literally and asking someone what they asked me. For example my wife a while ago told me she thought I may be autistic because of many traits. I phoned my son’s therapist that day to ask her thoughts, she said most probably. When I spoke to my wife about it and what I had done she was so embarrassed and cross with me. I didn’t understand what I had done that was so wrong. Apparently if something is said in a certain way you are not to act on it?? Why not just say afterwards “please do not mention this to anyone else” 

  • I think that even NT guys can struggle with interpreting what their wife says!
    Apologies for any offence caused to female members - it's a bloke joke thing  Grinning

  • Yes for sure. 27 years this June and I’m still not getting it. Joy

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