07-15-2010, 04:33 PM
Ted King wrote:
[quote=Mr Downtown]
Well, how would you suggest adding a hint of indirectness to an oppositional statement? It's a softener, a sign that you don't want to be entirely adversarial with your response. Especially online, writing "well, I don't think you're correct about that" is less abrupt and confrontational than simply writing "you're not correct about that." I may be just as confident of my facts or position, but I don't want you to leave the discussion.
:agree:
I, too, agree. I was just trying to work my way to the end of the line so I could compose a post in which I said essentially the same thing. Using the word "well" can also imply that a person is still processing information, so the statement they're about to make isn't cast In stone. I'm sure using the word at the beginning of a sentence is sometimes o er used, but I also think there are many times when it's very appropriate. I might even be inclined to start a response with the word myself if someone were to ask if I thought Peter B was in a cranky mood.
Typed on my iPad, and we're still having trouble figuring out how to go back and make corrections. Why don't we have arrow keys so we can get back to the spot we want?!