Interpreting Things Literally

[James Hardy]

yes im very literally minded, actually this is why i was known as a good solder. though when i given to a new team leader my old team leader told the new team leader to be careful what he told me to do as i would do it exactly.

 

[Reedstorm17]

As long as you're not as literal-minded as Amelia Bedelia, everything's fine.

 

[Questella]

Funny story about being literal minded: When I was a kid I was playing kickball with my next door neighbors and I kicked the ball pretty far. Everyone stared yelling "RUN HOME, RUN HOME!" I got upset and ran back to my house thinking my friends didn't want to play with me anymore.

I saw that happen on some movie. o.o'

 

[StephF]

I was recently visiting a friend in hospital and my friend wanted to know if the Doctor was around. She said Look around the corner and tell me if you can see a women in a black dress with no arms.

I looked then replied "What use would a doctor be with no arms ?" I got a funny look and then she started to laugh.

Has anyone experienced this situation when you respond literally ?

 

[Nitro]

It's like this advisory thread in these forums, that says:

Before you post,please ask yourself if you would feel comfortable sharing your information with a 13 year old.

The answer is that I would NEVER share anything, ever, with ANY 13-year-old. I don't talk to children. Therefore, my answer to this would be to not use the forum, and to run far, far away from it. I'd not even be comfortable saying "hello" or waving.

One would think that a post to members would consider what members are dealing with when writing a message to them.

The notice was placed on the forum to curb vulgarity and foul language in front of ANY member, especially the younger ones.

I can't make that any more literal in any sense.

 

[Nitro]

ok. sorry to have enraged you.

You haven't enraged anyone.

I placed my message as a FYI.

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

I could make it more literal.

Please refrain from using vulgar or foul language.

Did not have to attempt to envision what I might or might not say in the presence of kids whom I avoid.

I could have been equally roundabout and said something like, "Before you post something, think about whether or not you'd say it in front of your mother." This could be equally confusing.

Guess that was brutal honesty. Bit of a hallmark of Asperger's, I've been told.

I just thought it a good example of a literal interpretation.

 

[Nitro]

I could make it more literal.

Please refrain from using vulgar or foul language.

Did not have to attempt to envision what I might or might not say in the presence of kids whom I avoid.

I could have been equally roundabout and said something like, "Before you post something, think about whether or not you'd say it in front of your mother." This could be equally confusing.

Guess that was brutal honesty. Bit of a hallmark of Asperger's, I've been told.

Ok, brutally honest.

PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING FOUL AND VULGAR LANGUAGE WHEN POSTING on AUTISM FORUMS.

 

[Gracey]

Listening to Brian Ferry from Roxy Music singing ‘Jealous Guy’

There’s a line in it,
“I was trying to catch your eye”


Slippery little suckers would be quite difficult to catch I’d imagine.

 

[Mary Anne]

I understand the meaning of a lot of idioms. Some of them don't really make much sense though. I agree with Ste11aeres about taking things literally in other more subtle ways. I have worked for several years with a few people who use sarcasm quite a lot so I have a good understanding of it. But an Aspie friend doesn't get sarcasm at all, so I need to be really careful when using sarcasm in his presence. I work in quality management in a medical pathology laboratory. When I interpret the standards that we have to comply with, I do so very literally. When I write work procedures or reports, the language used is concise and unambiguous.

I too have a hard time distinguishing when sarcasm or joking is used. Unless it’s super obvious. Everyone else “gets it,” and I am the last to figure it out.

 

[Progster]

I find it hard to tell whether someone is joking or teasing or being serious (I tend to assume serious) or trying to wind me up, or when a person is being sarcastic.

 

[Mr Allen]

I find sarcasm hard to detect, and don't always know when someone is being serious or messing about.

 

[heartsl0b]

I've only recently noticed how big a problem this is for me, particularly pertaining to non-specific questions.
One example being, I was having a late-night discussion with my partner about what the schedule was for tomorrow and I had told her about a doctor's appointment I had scheduled for the afternoon.
She then proceeded to ask me "what time is it?" I immediately put this in the context of our discussion (despite having JUST told her when the appointment was) and told her 1430PM. What she really meant was "what time is it NOW?" I've found the best way to bypass this is to now ask "what are you trying to ask me?" when I'm torn between interpretations of a question.

I used to struggle with idioms a lot as a child, when my mum told me she was "going to see a man about a dog" I waited for days for this dog to turn up, my mum found it hilarious when I asked a week later what had happened to it.