'The Message'
A thread to discuss naming threads, board policy, new thread suggestions, and anything else that has to do with board administration and maintenance. Guaranteed to include lively debate and polls. Natter discouraged, but not deleted.
Current Stompy Feet: ita, Jon B, DXMachina, P.M. Marcontell, Liese S., amych
I think all of us who feel we know each other impose our thoughts on each other's posts. Sometimes we are off the mark. I've thought people were joking when they weren't, people I know, people tonight.
Let's add it to the list of things to try and be better at. It's amazing any of us have people to even talk to. t /frustrated sarcasm.
I don't like your tone... ;)
Neither do I.
I think it might be the constant humming, or perhaps the low-bass rumble...or maybe the really unpalatable thing is that annoying ring of truth.
*whoop-ah!* ;)
I think all of us who feel we know each other impose our thoughts on each other's posts. Sometimes we are off the mark. I've thought people were joking when they weren't, people I know, people tonight.
Telepathy would solve this in a jiffy!
There's tone in writing. I'm puzzled at the belief that there isn't.
There's tone in writing. I'm puzzled at the belief that there isn't.
and I'm puzzled that you are puzzled (which sets the tone).
I'm with Allyson. ALL tone isn't in writing, but there's tone.
Otherwise, why would we have to reread e-mails before sending them out to make sure they're appropriately light/conciliatory/formal/casual/corporate? The content's a given, but the context in which it's set -- that can certainly vary.
But, do you only read manuals on building oscillators? There's tone in writing. Good writing, anyway.
Allyson, there IS tone, but it's harder to get across. When I taught an online class, I found it very hard to write comments or lectures and sound jokey but enthusiastic and involved (the way I've been told I come across live), or stress that THIS sentence is sarcastic, where the last one was serious. I found to be clear, I had to be much less varied than when I lectured aloud.
Are you talking about new people, or all people?
I'm saying that readers should not assume to know the tone of a poster, and perhaps particularly of a new poster.
Do we assume tone? Sure.
Should we assume it to the point where we get upset/offended/angry without asking for clarification? I think that that leads to trouble.
I'm with Allyson and ita. There's definitely tone; it's just not quite as easy to analyze sometimes as in face-to-face communication, and it takes a bit longer to get a feel for when people are being serious vs. playful, etc.
t eta, or, what Robin said