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CHAT Indirect Requests (was Re: Leaving the List for Awhile...)

From:Ph. D. <phild@...>
Date:Wednesday, October 6, 2004, 12:25
David Peterson wrote:
> > [P.P.S.: ObConlang: Ever consider how indirect requests > work in your conlang? E.g., "Can you pass the salt?" The > question really isn't about one's ability to pass the salt, thus > an answer of "Yes, I can", without any salt passing, would > be considered inappropriate. Nevertheless, this doesn't > work in every language; there are different methods for > expressing indirect requests. Ever come up with any?]
I once worked afternoon shift in an office. We hired a new guy. Most evenings, around lunch time, he would ask me, "Hey, Phil, you gotta watch?" I would reply "Yes," and go back to my work. He'd pause for a minute, then ask someone else. ("Hey, Joe, you gotta watch?" "It's 7:25." "Thanks.") After two months, he transfered to day shift. I don't think he ever figured it out. --Ph. D.