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Confusing language

Expecto_Patronum

How confusing the English language and people's use of it can be will never cease to amaze me.

I went to drop off a prescription at the pharmacy today. When I handed it over he said "is this just to collect when it's ready?". I have no idea what he actually meant by that question - I wouldn't be able to pick it up before it's ready so obviously yes, I will collect when it's ready. I just said yes and left. But it's played on my mind since.

I feel like this kind of thing happens so often, I just can't understand what the other person actually meant.

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  • Expecto_Patronum said:
    I just can't understand what the other person actually meant.

    I just ask what the alternatives are since it either informs me of options I didn't anticipate or makes the other person realise they are being obscure and hopefully makes them do better next time.

    If you can sound puzzled when asking it then it is unlikely to get a negative response in my experience.

    I also find there are phrases used in different regions of the country that I don't understand and it is likely that the serving staff have had this experience before so they should know a more generic way of phrasing it.

    Things like stating a day for something to happen can be next Wednesday, Wednesday week, the other Wednesday etc. - these confused me until I got clarification.

    Language can be a fickle thing.

  • in reply to Iain

    Oh I can't cope with this or next day at all. People seem to use it differently so sometimes next Wednesday is the next Wednesday that comes up and sometimes it's the Wednesday in the week after the next Wednesday that comes up. I don't understand at all. Just give me a date please people. I also hate it when people tell me to get there just before a time. What does just before mean? If you tell me to get there just before 8, do you mean 7:59, 7:55, 7:50? Just give a time.

  • in reply to Expecto_Patronum
    Expecto_Patronum said:
    If you tell me to get there just before 8, do you mean 7:59, 7:55, 7:50? Just give a time.

    My understanding of "just before" is that you need to arrive before the time and the gap can be anything you are comfortable with. I would typically allow 15 mins if it is a long way from me or 2-3 mins if it is close just to allow for delays in my journey.

    I suspect what is happening here is that people use these vague terms so you can choose an option that feels right for you rather than give you hard and fast rules that can be seen as rude and controlling (oddly this is often exactly what we want).

    It is just a difference of styles.

    With the days of the week thing, I just confirm "so you mean Weds 26th Oct then" so it clarifies  it for me and tells them they are not being clear,

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  • in reply to Expecto_Patronum
    Expecto_Patronum said:
    If you tell me to get there just before 8, do you mean 7:59, 7:55, 7:50? Just give a time.

    My understanding of "just before" is that you need to arrive before the time and the gap can be anything you are comfortable with. I would typically allow 15 mins if it is a long way from me or 2-3 mins if it is close just to allow for delays in my journey.

    I suspect what is happening here is that people use these vague terms so you can choose an option that feels right for you rather than give you hard and fast rules that can be seen as rude and controlling (oddly this is often exactly what we want).

    It is just a difference of styles.

    With the days of the week thing, I just confirm "so you mean Weds 26th Oct then" so it clarifies  it for me and tells them they are not being clear,

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