It Was the Least I Could Do (Funny things we say)
Sunday 31 October 2010 - Filed under Communication + gaps + thoughts
Many of the funniest gaps surface in our conversations. There is often a gap between what we mean to communicate and what we actually say. Though some phrases may not seem funny on the surface, when interpreted literally they can be quite humorous. Two of my personal favorites are “It was the least I could do,” and “I’m sorry to hear that.”
When thanked for a kind deed or gift we often respond “it was the least I could do.” Did we actually calculate the least possible generous outcome before acting? Or… when someone shares bad news with us, do we really mean “I’m sorry to hear that?” It is more likely we’re sorry it happened rather than… sorry we heard about it.
When sharing these musings with my father-in-law, he offered his favorite funny-things-we-say in return. He doesn’t like hearing “hurting you is the last thing I would want to do,” because he figures it is still on their to-do list.
What are some of your favorite funny-things-we-say? Please share.
2010-10-31 » Russ Leseberg
12 November 2010 @ 11:11 am
Another one that I found amusing and became a on-going joke between a few friends of mine is the “to be honest with you”, or “to tell you the truth”. Does that mean we are not always honest neither tell the truth?