do you "misinterpret" emails or IMs?
 

when you read an email do you ever read it and think to yourself that the person who sent it to you is coming off with an attitude?

discuss


because i think i may have an issue here...

Read this email punk, before i tear you a new A-Hole...

yeah depends on my mood as to how i take

I always try not to.

yep, posts fall in there too. had one today that was completely mistaken in pimpdoggs thread

happens to me all the time :)

there's no inflection on the internet.. that's why if I say something in an email that may sound bitchy or whathaveyou but I'm actually meaning it in a light-hearted way I'll generally thow a ;) or a :) there to make sure it's clear to the reader.

But yeah, sometimes I've gotten email or IM's from people and thought.. 'whoa!' only to ask them about it and find out that I completely misunderstood their intention.

It happens to us all at some point I'm sure :2 cents:

(the trick is not to freak out on someone before it's clear whether their intention was good or bad :winkwink: )

i hate when people text and then use that t9 thing and dont spell the word they are trying to write.Then i wonder if they say they want to suck my dial or dick>>??? I dont know

I agree with Ruth. Emoticons are supremely important to convey 'tone of voice.'

true true, i guess in IMs the emoticons help, but what about emails

I never do, and rarely have someone misinterpret my own, but I have friends that need an intervention from the way they talk on IMs, lol.

Not as common now as in the late 90s, people learned that you don't type emails, memos, or IMs, as if you're writing a letter. You type as if you're talking to that person face to face. Much more effective. And emoticons helped also.

Always just assume the best until you know for sure. If you think it is tipping towards the bad side call them on it and clear the air.

Not at all. Very easy to interpret with time I guess.

Some of the wisest words I've heard is that text is two dimensional. Simple but true.

A LOT of people that even KNOW me have a hard time sometimes wondering if I'm being serious or not because my sense of humour is a little, uh, wry.

If I ever have questions about someone else, I'll either ask the person to clarify their remarks, OR, I'll know by the time I get the second correspondence.

I'd suggest replying (assuming that it's called for in this situation) as politely as possible and holding off judgement until the next email.

If you still detect attitude, let the fucker have it.

Chicks constantly misinterpret IM's and e-mails

Using different font styles sometimes helps

Did it just the other day with my mom. Her email seemed like she was trying to lay on the guilt trip. She claimed it didn't, but I don't know if I believe her.

ARE YOU YELLING AT ME???

LOLOLOL

wow

I know I've done it before, even with people I know well. Sometimes it's difficult to convey exactly what you mean via ICQ and email.