I find the fixation of randos(most of us, apparently) on assuming “you” is referring to them and only them off-putting, myself. I can be having an on-going conversation, start a sentence with “you” and get interrupted by a third-party going “WHAT!?” …
I’m such a paragon of getting this right, and a successful parent, that it happens in my own house, when they know good and well I’m capable of shouting names across the house at volume sufficient to make the whole neighborhood understand what I’m saying, so why do they assume a barely-audible “you” from two-rooms over is meant for them? Is it me?
I’m assuming you actually want an answer. As a columnist, you want to use the second person extremely sparingly when lobbing an accusation at someone else, because the odds are they will find it to be a direct accusation.
And of course it isn’t. I’m not suggesting otherwise. But as the old saw goes, communication is a two-way street. If what you’re broadcasting isn’t what’s received, well, that’s a failure.
I’m glad y’all found a way to work it out. I’m just pointing out how this sort of interaction can quickly devolve, and I didn’t want to see it go there.
I find the fixation of randos(most of us, apparently) on assuming “you” is referring to them and only them off-putting, myself. I can be having an on-going conversation, start a sentence with “you” and get interrupted by a third-party going “WHAT!?” …
I’m such a paragon of getting this right, and a successful parent, that it happens in my own house, when they know good and well I’m capable of shouting names across the house at volume sufficient to make the whole neighborhood understand what I’m saying, so why do they assume a barely-audible “you” from two-rooms over is meant for them? Is it me?
I’m assuming you actually want an answer. As a columnist, you want to use the second person extremely sparingly when lobbing an accusation at someone else, because the odds are they will find it to be a direct accusation.
And of course it isn’t. I’m not suggesting otherwise. But as the old saw goes, communication is a two-way street. If what you’re broadcasting isn’t what’s received, well, that’s a failure.
I’m glad y’all found a way to work it out. I’m just pointing out how this sort of interaction can quickly devolve, and I didn’t want to see it go there.