All of us learn how to write in the second grade. Most of us go on to greater things”. Bob Knight
I’ve been exchanging a series of business emails with a guy who continuously starts many of his mails with “No tone” at the beginning.
I asked him the other day what that meant and he told me that since voice inflections and physical moments (such as an eye wink) are impossible in written communications that sometimes people can misconstrue the meaning of things said (written). Thus sarcasm and innuendo can get lost and the reader can imply anger or disappointment when none is meant.
I’ve been exchanging a series of business emails with a guy who continuously starts many of his mails with “No tone” at the beginning.
I asked him the other day what that meant and he told me that since voice inflections and physical moments (such as an eye wink) are impossible in written communications that sometimes people can misconstrue the meaning of things said (written). Thus sarcasm and innuendo can get lost and the reader can imply anger or disappointment when none is meant.
Tone.
OK, I get it. I guess.
But it makes me wonder. Written communication has been around a long time. Long before telephones were invented and even long after people got letters. Business was conducted through the use of the written word. I’m old enough that I’ve gotten thousands of letters in my lifetime and I don’t remember one of them starting with “No Tone”. Yes, it does mean that you have to be thoughtful in what you write and how you write it, but so what?
Now THAT got me wondering if No Tone actually means “Tone”, kind of the modern equivalent of starting a statement with “I don’t want to offend you”. Yes you do. Or “I’m not being nosy”. Yes you are. Or “I have to be truthful with you”. Do you now?
So I’ve decided the next time I get an email from him that starts with “No Tone” I’m going to reply back that I find his constant use of that phrase to be stupid, insulting and highly irritating and if he doesn’t stop using that idiotic phrase I’m going to ram his laptop up his nose.
No Tone, of course.
OK, I get it. I guess.
But it makes me wonder. Written communication has been around a long time. Long before telephones were invented and even long after people got letters. Business was conducted through the use of the written word. I’m old enough that I’ve gotten thousands of letters in my lifetime and I don’t remember one of them starting with “No Tone”. Yes, it does mean that you have to be thoughtful in what you write and how you write it, but so what?
Now THAT got me wondering if No Tone actually means “Tone”, kind of the modern equivalent of starting a statement with “I don’t want to offend you”. Yes you do. Or “I’m not being nosy”. Yes you are. Or “I have to be truthful with you”. Do you now?
So I’ve decided the next time I get an email from him that starts with “No Tone” I’m going to reply back that I find his constant use of that phrase to be stupid, insulting and highly irritating and if he doesn’t stop using that idiotic phrase I’m going to ram his laptop up his nose.
No Tone, of course.
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