How do we phrase things?, let us count the ways......

Thanks for posting this Phoenix. I think it's a good point, well made. I'm going to make sure I'm more considered and considerate when I post.

Thank you Primrose, although I can't recall ever seeing an inconsiderate post from you.

When there is no body language to illustrate our written word then the phrasing becomes doubly important.

That's very true. I do use emoticons sometimes to try and let people know I'm just having a joke. I can find it difficult to get the right balance between polite and formal too.

There was a thread on here very recently about emoticons and how useful they are - to some people. I tend to get the wrong end of the stick with them, just as well I am not an ancient Egyptian.

Phoenix, with your Shakespearean hat on, how would he soften the demand "shut up". Seen it several times on GN today.

I was brought up with 'if you can't say anything nice, then say nothing at all'

I think that the potential problem with emoticons is that sometimes a smiley is added to a post to make it appear more benign than the words would imply!

Phoenix

A rosesarered by any other name would smell as sweet.Perhaps I will change my name,I rather like appledumpling.?

Alima 'shut up' should be: I mustn't trouble you to explain further.

Tizliz me too, but at times I fail to observe that rule

Actually, I don't think, as grown ups, we should ever need to use the phrase "shut up" when posting on a forum, as we are using written words, not spoken.

I wonder what the equivalent phrase might be, "erase yourself",?

No, that's daft, perhaps it would be "please refrain from further comments on this topic, as I feel your views are too conflicting with mine" or "please stop posting on this thread, as I really must have the last word, because I'm RIGHT!"

Of course, please add your own thoughts, even if they don't concur with mine !

Personally, I can't see the point of writing 'shut up' on a forum. I mean, they have shut up already. Then they've hit "post message". That's how you get to read the comment you're saying 'shut up' to.
Maybe I'm a bit weird.

Why don't you TIPPEX!

'Haud yer wheesht' is a good Scottish phrase that covers the situation perfectly. GN HQ would not know if it were rude or not.

'Awa an bile yer heid' is perhaps a trifle too obvious and you might be warned that 'yer jaiket's oan a shoogly nail'.

Nothing compares to a foreign language or regional dialect for insulting people without them realising.

I think that when someone writes "shut up" to a poster, it indicates that the person saying "shut up", is actually the one who is, quite literally, lost for words. They're unable to articulate themselves any further and in saying "shut up", they're demonstrating that they've come to the end of their own vocabulary and debating skills. I have a mental image of them standing with their hands on their hips, chin jutted forward and a big scowl on their face because they can't express themselves any further. Bit sad really in an adult .

'Haud yer wheesht' I've not heard that in years Granny23!

True, Granny23 You can say all kinds of things in regionalese. When Dh was a student, certain of his friends were targetted in a pub by a couple of English girls who were not at all to their taste. They strung them along for a while, saying flattering things like "Aye, ye're a pair o' wee hairies, are ye no?" with a winning smile. They probably went home thinking they had been greatly admired.

My grandpa would say often say
'awa an' bile yer heid' to any politician who happened to be in TV.
My gran would in turn say to him
Haud yer wheesht!
To which he would reply
'Ah but just look at them, a pair o' wally dugs

Oops too many says!

Or in Scottish Gaelic = Duin do ghob

What's "doing do ghob" mean granny23? Please translate!

I'm just guessing, Granny23 would the English version be
"Shut ya gob"
Or in queens English "close your mouth"

Shut your Gob - NB I don't mean that literally, only translating