Posted by so on June 12, 2005, at 1:10:00
In reply to I agree » so, posted by Gabbi-x-2 on June 11, 2005, at 23:46:16
> "I am very much offended".
>
> You are certainly permitted to say that. What is is "iffy" (depending on Dr. Bob's stickiness) is saying "Ï find that offensive" (pardon the umlaut, I can't figure out which keys I accidentally hit to make them appear ) because of course, saying "it is offensive", even with "I find" preceding it, is technically a judgement of the persons statement, not an expression of your own reaction.
Thanks for the reality check, Gabbi. Though I more often am the one defining reality than querrying, in this context it can be helpful.Technically, and according to some of what I've been directed to read here about "I statements", "I am offended" is a statement of fact declaring that a particular act caused a feeling, moreso than an opinion or a declaration that one "feels" offended perhaps as a result of their own propensities. In popular usage, "I find that offensive" in reference to something directed at the speaker is usually equivilant to "I am offended." Use of the verb "offend" in the transitive sense doesn't convey any more information about what standard has been offended or what caused a feeling of resentment than does use of the adjective "offensive".
In law, the state might claim "I am offended" but a judge can declare "no you're not" because the judge abritrates compliance with a more or less objective standard. I suppose a person can hold any standard they want and if that personal standard is violated, they would be in fact be offended. But in that case, a statement that they were offended (caused to feel vexation or resentment) would be the same as saying the statement was offensive (causing displeasure or resentment).
"I feel offended" technically specifies a subjective feeling as compared to a statement of fact about what caused a feeling of vexation, displeasure or resentment.
I'm not sure either what keyboard macro makes a diæresis but Ï know how to make them in decimal. Now, to find out what they mean ...
poster:so
thread:507180
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20050530/msgs/511326.html