Say what is meant

I hear people speak many times, but just as many times, I hear reports of what people speak. It's not the same thing because I know that when speech is reported, that the teller only relates the gist of what was said through his or her own filter. I reacted to a statement of reported speech today. That's always a little perilous. But I knew I had to send a warning message of what I hoped was not said. I figured that if the teller had changed the wording, that she would get the message that I thought she had a poor choice of words. If the teller was accurate in the reporting, then the person she needed to carry the message back to would get the message of not being in denial, but accepting the results of her actions. Either way, I wanted to get a message across.

People don't expect that kind of reaction from me usually. They just think I need to listen to their version of a story. So, when I say something in order to send a message, they many times think that I am not a fair listener. But, since they are not expecting the response of getting a message about the report they just made, they make quick judgments about my reaction. In the end, it is a miscalculation on the part of those reporting someone else's speech. They find out that they need to choose accurate wording. But, that is the key to clear and concise communication.