(I can’t remember the last punctuation.)
Insensitive because that friend thought I had said that this person was
UGLY.
However, in my own personal opinion, I don’t think I was insensitive, and that I did
NOT imply that the person was ugly.
Point 1:
Because in terms of an English expression, uglier doesn’t mean ugly. For example: This flower is uglier than that other flower, probably in terms of colour or pattern. But ultimately, both flowers are not ugly. Just not as pretty in context of being compared. It is just like me saying that I am fat on my blog. But does that mean that I am truly fat? Maybe I am, since in my own standards, as well as amongst my group of friends
(you skinny bitches!!!), I am considered plus size. Maybe not, since I am certainly not the fattest bastard on earth. Now now, did I really mean that all my friends are bitches with the above sentence? Or, did I just call myself a bastard literally? No? why not? But I did put it into the sentence, and some more no inverted commas wor. So how? Right!~ For those reading, get my meaning from this example? No? Then read on…
Point 2:In English punctuation terms, “ugly”
(inverted commas, aka quotation mark) just mean the opposite in terms of the word it encloses. No?
(Click HERE for some English lessons; specifically search for the part on “quotation mark”.) If not, what are inverted commas for? Decoration?
(Well, it would be decoration if it wasn’t taken into account when put together.) Talking about punctuation, like I said before, they are there for different purposes. Like my example in the
“insensitive” sentence I wrote above, I couldn’t decide whether I had put a question mark or a full stop at the end of the sentence. However, why am I so uptight about that? Well, because a question mark and a full stop interprets differently. I want the truest representation for what I write on this blog, thus, I need to clarify my lack of memory on that part. So, case in point of view, a question mark would mean I am asking a question back whether my statement was true, while a full stop would mean that that was my statement without further questions. However, even then, both sentences still don’t imply that I have called someone ugly. Maybe just not as good looking as Elvin Ng. No?
Point 3:The issues on interpretation. Who can we blame? The interpreter or the writer? The interpreter who interpreted the sentence in a certain direction, without being forced to. The writer who could have chosen a better substitute word. Who then? In my opinion, I say the writer is not at fault. Because first of all, what are punctuations and the different methods of description in the power of the English language for? That is to further signify the direct difference between 2 similar terms, ain’t it? If not, why are those invented for? Fault the interpreter??? Can the writer be blamed for the interpreter’s sensitivity or lack of direct interpretation? Thus, the question here is, who is in the wrong? The writer’s lack of use of a different word, or the interpreter’s lack of understanding towards what was written? In my opinion, it is ambiguous, where both can be faulted. As in like, why must you choose that word? Or, why must you interpret it that way
(are you being too sensitive)? However, I do know that in terms of an academic examination, the wrong interpretation just means you answered wrongly, and thus, fail. Can we say that the author of the textbook shouldn’t have written it that way? Could we have asked the writer of the published text or the lecturer to have expressed the term using a different word? I don’t think so.
Point 4:
Then, comes the issue of writing as a form of art. Isn’t interpretation a form of art as well? When a painter showcases a piece of painted canvas, isn’t the true form of art being in both the skill of the painter, as well as the difference in interpretations of the canvas? So in expression and interpretation, aren’t both an art on the same line? If you say choosing of words is an art, I would say interpretation of the word is also an art. Isn’t it so in this context? Thus, instead of faulting the writer, why not fault yourself for your own interpretation?
And then on a side note, does saying that someone should have interpreted something differently = saying someone is stupid??? Does it even inter-relate? Interpretation of a different direction, I would say is proportional to saying, initial
MISINTERPRETATION. However, what does stupidity have to do with misinterpretation? If that is the case, then the whole wide world is stupid, since everyone has differing points of views of the same things. No?
Point 5:Question on whether I could have chosen a different word? Like what?
“Not as good looking as”, “Not as handsome”, “Below average compared to XXX”, “Lacking of compared to XXX”, “Handsome but not as handsome as XXX”; etc. Don’t all these phrases have negative connotations as well? If you say they are more sensitive and/or less hurtful, who made that rule to say that it is less damaging? I think it is just in the mind of the beholder, which is not my problem as a writer but your problem as an interpreter. No? So rather than 3 to 4 words, why not just one word? Besides, what other more polite ONE-worded words could I have used to replace the word uglier? I can’t think of any, because in the first place, it isn’t even a word. Ugly is a word, not uglier
(it’s a one word phrase by itself).
Point 6:I have many other points to make my point but I am too lazy to write on such an insignificant thing. The entry is already overly long too. Besides, like I said before, I make no apologies or explanation for what I write. So stuff it! Bottom line is, I stand by what I write. I think the most important point is that I made clear that calling someone ugly or whatever other similar negative connotations with previous writings is not my true intention. It is better than being sneaky and lying about the true intention after writing or saying something, just to put oneself in a good positive light.
I do apologize for the misinterpretation though; HOWEVER, I do
NOT apologize for my usage of vocabulary and punctuation. Because I feel that words and punctuation have been justified in black and white, over the years, for its command in the English language as well as the connotations it brings forward.
On another side note, it was said that my apology
(for my expression of the sentence) was accepted in due of gentlemanliness. However, there was no clue of true gentlemanliness where a reciprocal apology for the misinterpretation was non-existent. So, my question is, does that count for gentlemanly behaviour?
So what say you people? What is your take on this issue?
(I certainly encourage comments for this, however, if you didn’t read the entry fully due to its length, or if you just want to give a fucking CB comment, better think twice with your fucking brains. For your information, all nonsense comments will be deleted, so don’t waste your fucking time and mine. Ummm… Then again, who am I kidding. If a person didn’t read fully and decide to give a fucker of an answer, would not see this final note, ain’t it? Haha…)P / S: Elvin Ng’s name is being used in this blog entry because prior to this, it was mentioned by the friend on MSN that the “someone” looks A BIT like Elvin Ng, but not quite because he has got his own style. Elvin Ng’s name was used not because I randomly pulled out a name from a bag.
P / P / S: I am writing this blog entry not because I am angry, or not because I am bitchy and want to put that friend in question down. I am writing this entry because I want to let everyone reading this understand that in a write up or speech, you often don’t get the whole picture (especially in the case of writing, because of the lack of expression of emotions in the words used or a lack of insight on the writer’s facial expression while writing), unless you know the person very well. Like how I was discussing with another friend, a simple phrase of “What? I have always been vulgar what.” can be meant menacingly or can be meant in a “just saying” attitude.
P / P / P / S: By not knowing all the above said English commandments also does not make you bad at the language. Often than not, someone who is inclined in the English language tend to oversee such minor details, compared to someone else who isn’t as well inclined. That is because English-pros tend to think too much. Why they think too much? Because they are so good that they tend to be able to come up with several different connotations to a sentence, where most are not wrong. For example, saying that quotation marks mean that the word in between is the direct opposite of its actual meaning, does “uglier” mean that you’re handsome (in fact, even more handsome, since uglier means uglier than ugly), or does it just mean that you’re not ugly at all??? 
