Topic

Lost In Translation

Do you guys ever wonder how other people could be possibly misinterpreting what you say or the intention behind it?  A lot of times when I am joking around, people misunderstand me.  It's pretty hard to tell over the internet.  Wouldn't it be nice if you could take a bunch of pictures of your face showing which emotion you are trying to get across so that they know if you are joking, or serious, or angry?  Sometimes little symbol faces (such as :), :(, ><) aren't enough to get the feeling across and can often seem sarcastic!  

I propose from now on every must upload a picture of how they feel with every post!

Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • I believe you utterly when you say you want a jewel in your belly button. 
    Posted 17 months ago by Nanookie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Pink camels is the most ludicrous idea I've ever heard!
    Posted 17 months ago by Joe Blow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I know what you mean Laurali, and I hear you, next step is video
    Posted 17 months ago by riscy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Where's your picture, @Laurali? I want to see you with that jewel in your belly button :p
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • My Glitch is camera shy!!
    Posted 17 months ago by Faereluth Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Laurali dearest, I utterly understand and agree with   what you are saying... I often assume others realize I joke around alot and enjoy being outrageous.  Some people just don't understand double entendre.  I guess I must put a disclaimer with posts that rub some people the wrong way...We all have bad days and get really crabby... If a person is angry to begin with they get hot really easy....
    Posted 17 months ago by napabeth Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Already have one Nanookie :)  The joys of piercings.

    Fokian Fool: No one sees that til the 3rd date!
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • :(" means I want to argue with you.
    "I want to see you tonight :)" means I want to go on a date.
    "I want to see you tonight ;)" means let's get naked.
    Posted 17 months ago by Cerulean Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Laurali - is that an offer? :p
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Lol, well when I get 15 bouquets on my doorstep with my favorite flowers (sunflowers) and any other noncattoxic plants then I would consider it.  Oh, I forgot I require each potential date to buy me a pair of really awesome designer shoes.

    Then you might get an offer lol
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • What kind of shoes did you have in mind ;) My current client is in the clothing industry. :p
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • my lord, we must be shenored out of our minds
    Posted 17 months ago by bored no more Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Laurali, your OP: Get out of my head! I was pipe dreaming the other day of the Glitch group chats having the ability to be voice chats a la Skype. I've watched my hubby and his friends play a game together on a LAN (um, Starcraft I believe) while voice Skyping with each other. Seriously want this choice in Glitch ;)
    Posted 17 months ago by RM Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Rascalmom - I do this with Dungeons & Dragons Online
    I shudder to think of the bugs and lag with that kind of chat. :( Flash player is pretty good, but TS is pushing it to it's limits without having to resort to a custom client.
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Fokian Fool, yeah but Glitch is supposed to be around for years (per stoot), so I think I can imagine a time when Flash would be better and technology will catch up to allow it. Why not? Me want pipe dream:)
    Posted 17 months ago by RM Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Well, Microsoft has a competitive technology and it runs on the major browsers already (current editions) called Silverlight. It has a XAML/CIL base instead of Flash's XML base. I haven't messed with it or Flash yet (I have worked with XAML though). Unfortunately it doesn't have the mature feature set that Flash has. It would be interesting to try to port Glitch over to it because it DOES have a mature communications technology "under the hood" and better memory management.
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Laurali:
    English is my second language. Not native. I can read it better than I can write it.
    Sometimes there is an expression I don't get, usually involving contemporary slang, or cultural references too local for me to know.
    But I feel that I share with other players a sense of humor, and I don't think I take seriously anything that is not intended to be serious.
    In other words: the problem may exist when you find people who doesn't share a sense of humor, English native speakers or not.
    (At least that's what I like to believe. ;)

    ETA: If anything, not being a native English speaker is limiting me as a writer. I know I don't come through as good as in my own language. I'm a professional writer in Spanish, and I promise I have a sense of humor and am able to make jokes in the middle of my most serious phrases.
    Posted 17 months ago by Ximenez Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 Ximenez :)
    Posted 17 months ago by RM Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Cerulean, HA! love your explanation.
    Posted 17 months ago by Lelu Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Ximenez,   you hit the  nail on the head.        Without a sense of humour life is dull and  one is constantly jumping to wrong conclusions regarding some silly remark... Those with no droll and sick way of seeing life are bound to be very sad and left out... I find here in our Glitch community the finest of the fine and funny people. Thank God for laughter. A good belly laugh heals the soul.
    Posted 17 months ago by napabeth Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Sarcasm can be hard IRL and even more so on internet fora. I think you should just avoid it or make very clear what your intentions are.
    Posted 17 months ago by Victoria Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh yes, I am so gullible I believe everything everyone tells me.  Especially about computers.  I'm like Jen from The IT Crowd when they told her the internet was a box and she had to be very careful with it or she would break the internet.

    If I hadn't seen that episode, I probably would have believed it too!
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Cleats would be a great designer shoe, after all someone has to "design" them.
    Posted 17 months ago by xoxJulie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Laurali: I am pretty dang gullible, too. A certain dev (they know who they are) has messed with my head so many times, it's turned into eggy scramble trying to keep up with which things are true or not. Thankfully for them, they usually relent and clue me in ;)
    Posted 17 months ago by RM Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 napabeth
    Posted 17 months ago by Ximenez Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh yes, thank you xoxJulie.  I almost forgot.

    Here's just a few:
    http://www.dillards.com/product/Antonio-Melani-Sanji-Pumps_301_-1_301_502633046?splashlink=dd_s_tc1_womens_060111
    (sooo cute!)

    http://www.dillards.com/product/BCBGeneration-Harley-Pumps_301_-1_301_502760857?splashlink=dd_s_tc1_womens_060111
    (love them!)

    http://www.dillards.com/product/Jessica-Simpson-Waleo-Pumps_301_-1_301_502547184?splashlink=dd_s_tc1_womens_060111
    (whoever gets me these incredible shoes is my savior.  I'll probably end up using some student loan money to buy them for myself anyways.  they are amazing)
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO those last teal shoes...they don't have them in my size anymore.  

    This ruined my day :*( even though I just found out I got an A in my chem class and those with A's don't have to take the final.
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • And!!!!!!!!!!!  it's almost my 24th birthday! (which is this weekend!)
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Damn. :( I'm broke :'(
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • What day is it?
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Nevermind, I found them on a different website that seemed slight shady, but if anyone steals my identity they will only be stealing about 100 dollars and probably 15,000 in debt for student loans :)
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • All 3? As long as they deliver. I haven't been too a Dillard's in years.
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Haha!  Well I just bought the JS "Miami Green" ones.  I was just kidding about the shoes, but wouldn't it be lovely to just wake up one morning with some really cute new shoes?
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @napabeth: "Without a sense of humour life is dull and  one is constantly jumping to wrong conclusions regarding some silly remark"

    But I think what he was saying is that without the *same* sense of humor.

    Everyone has a sense of humor. We just don't all find the same things funny. (Makes serious scowly face and trots off to do some very.serious.work.)
    Posted 17 months ago by emdot Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Larauli - I usually prefer barefoot or sandals. Unless I'm running. Then a comfortable pair of athletic shoes are wunderbar!
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Great point emdot!  Everyone does have a sense of humor.  Someone like me tends to find too many funny things in the world.

    PS can we tell every guy in the world to stop thinking if a girl laughs at you, she likes you.  it's not, and never will be true!  but thanks for being so funny ;)

    Fokian: I love barefoot too!  But theres no denying that heels not only make your legs look amazing, but they make you look thinner as well.  Plus they are so damn cute!
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Laurali - I just don't think pumps are my style ;p
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Never know til you try them!  If you ever need a size 7-8, let meknow
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • btw, Laurali, it got lost in there, but congrats on the A's!! Not to mention happy birthday soon:)
    Posted 17 months ago by RM Subscriber! | Permalink
  • There is nothing like a man in fishnet stockings and high heels to turn a girl on !
    Posted 17 months ago by napabeth Subscriber! | Permalink
  • [Quote=Laurali]"Do you guys ever wonder how other people could be possibly misinterpreting what you say or the intention behind it?  A lot of times when I am joking around, people misunderstand me.  It's pretty hard to tell over the internet.  Wouldn't it be nice if you could take a bunch of pictures of your face showing which emotion you are trying to get across so that they know if you are joking, or serious, or angry?  Sometimes little symbol faces (such as :), :(, ><) aren't enough to get the feeling across and can often seem sarcastic!  "[/quote]

    I usually wonder in how many ways people can misinterpret what I say :P. In my job (servicedesk coördinator) I have to remind people once in a while not to take anything for granted. Like guy X. who was considered rude by Y, because X mailed very short mails with lots of abbreviations. Only guy X had worked in a company where that was considered normal and not at all rude. Or I have to tell them to not make jokes of teasing notes in tickets, as customers can misinterpret it (and also their collegues.) Humor is a NO in written servicedesk world. Even on the phone it can be tricky, had a few awkward moments myself when I thought I could make a joke but the person on the other hand didn't sound amused by it...Or when people made jokes to me which I didn't really see as a joke but more as a "steek onder water" - hit below the belt? Snide remark? (not sure about the english expression.)

    Ofcourse in games it's different, when people say something that could be considered rude/sarcasm I first wonder if it could be meant as a joke/tease or if it's just really a naieve innocent remark.
    Sometimes I think I can come across as mean because someone asks a serious question and I think that person is just playing around and isn't serious about it, so I give a joking/"funny" answer while the person is actually seeking help.

    Voicechat: I wouldn't quite like it, as I can read the english posts at my own speed, and might have problems following the voicechat or get shy because people can't understand my english. Not that I'm terribly bad at it, just some words are hard to pronounce if I think about it too much...
    Posted 17 months ago by Miriamele Subscriber! | Permalink
  • And about that uploading a picture: only if it's the Harry Potter type images! (you know, pictures that move around a bit...)

    ETA: www.cocacolla.it/arts/jamie...
    Like these!
    Posted 17 months ago by Miriamele Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Miriamele:  I think its adorable when people mispronounce words or its kinda hard to understand them.  I remember when I was in Europe struggling through some languages pretty badly.  I took 6 years of French but its pretty much all gone, and when I was in France some people didn't have the patience to help me, but I remember one gentleman working at a cafe was very patient and seemed to love that I was trying so hard to remember the words!  

    Rascalmom:  Thank you so much!  You're so cute!
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Laurali I really understand! I share the same problem. Sometimes I appear too serious instead of of the truth which is; I am just having fun! Perhaps its because in person I speak with body language, I am smiling and I move my hands and these are not seen when writing. 
    However, when I read your writings you appear to me to be gregarious and have overflowing energy! I think its unique!
    Posted 17 months ago by Joy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I've seen a bunch of people ask about idioms or random phrases or even Glitchy in-jokes, so I hope that folks will also pipe up if they're wondering what someone's true intent is. I know that I'm far more optimistic that people mean well here in Glitch that IRL, so perhaps that colors my perception... and makes me call people out more often in the hopes that they didn't really mean what it looked like they just typed in chat.

    On a slightly different note, I would just like to say that I seriously admire all the non-native English speakers for keeping up with the insanity here! Particularly with the tendency toward making up words at random...
    Posted 17 months ago by Jennyanydots Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'm a goof. My life has taught me to infuse humor in everything, even the so-called inappropriate moments. Joking is how I cover pain, unease, fear, uncertainty. It's how I diffuse awkward moments and how I try to ease other people's uncertainty/discomfort.

    I laugh at myself first and foremost. I'm a klutz. I'm obsessive about something things. I'm chill about others (as in you want to take my temp because you're not sure I'm still alive I'm so chill).

    But I also recognize my own quirkiness and that some folks don't get it. Been online since 1200baud BBS days (ish) and LIKED IT cuz it was awesome speedy cool!  And dealt with so much in terms of online communities that I just roll with a lot of things (yes, I was 3 at the time. I was precocious, okay?!)

    Online communication is hard enough. Add language differences and cultural differences, and pop-culture differences - it gets exponentially harder. The humor doesn't necessarily translate. 

    I assume no one has a clue what I'm talking about and go from there. 
    Posted 17 months ago by g33kgurrl Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @g33kgurri...........I read you loud and clear.     In grammar school I was often the class clown, talked alot and loved making people laugh.     It takes a degree of sophistication to understand  satire,  mixed messages...      Some remarks just sail over people's heads and they may take offense.  It  is their problem...    I  say  read as many  books as you  can  about  every  subject. Interact with people of every walk of life....you will get smarter too hopefully as you age...Glitch is helping to make all of us better people.  The caring is palpitable. 
    Posted 17 months ago by napabeth Subscriber! | Permalink