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To: jodyel; sitetest
The universal "you" is often mistaken as a personal "you" by the reader and incites flame wars, even if the original poster did not intend to provoke contempt.

IOW, it can have the same affect depending on how the reader reacts.

To avoid flame wars, look for an alternative to the universal "you."

188 posted on 09/26/2013 7:00:43 PM PDT by Religion Moderator
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To: Religion Moderator; jodyel
Dear Religion Moderator,

I think your post here is largely irrelevant.

It is true that someone may be speaking broadly, generally, not meaning “without exception,” but rather, “in most cases,” and use the word “you” to communicate that broad-brush. Even more generally, people may use the word “you” without even an intended general target. “You” may be as broad as “all humanity.”

But it clearly was not in the poster's posts. The poster's post was directed at Catholics, and without exception.

The poster describes the target group - Catholics - and then, about the target group, says, “And none of you would...”

This leaves little ambiguity. Words have meaning. The poster means to say certain things about the target group - Catholics - and is not generalizing, is not painting with a broad brush. Rather, the poster is saying, “This is true of Catholics, every last one of you.”

The use of “you” in the most general, non-specific sense can be a misunderstanding, a use of sloppy speech, no more. But here, there is no ambiguity. The poster has directly targeted Catholic, every last one of us, without exception.

THAT is making it personal.

Not that it should matter.


sitetest

243 posted on 09/27/2013 5:06:58 AM PDT by sitetest ( If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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