I have three questions for you:
1. Have you ever had an "Oh yeah!" moment?
2. Have you ever had an "Oh yeah?" moment?
3. Have you ever had an "Oh yeah..." moment?
Wait a minute... Did I just ask you the same question three times? Let us consider:
"Oh yeah!" = celebration
"Oh yeah?" = I didn't know that
"Oh yeah..." = I forgot about that but just had an 'a-ha!' moment
In typing these questions and having you read them, you may have already thought of them as three different questions. However, had I just asked you one of these questions out loud in person, over the phone, or via web chat, would you have caught the difference? Would it have been clear to which "Oh yeah" moment (!,?,...) I was referring?
Throughout daily business and personal communication, we say many words, phrases, and sentences. Yet, the way we say these words, phrases, and sentences help define their meanings. In the case of the "Oh yeah" questions/statements listed above, each one is positive. "Oh yeah! I passed the test!" "Oh yeah? They have free pizza at the game?" "Oh yeah... I do have a copy of that classic album!"
At the same time, the same exact phrase said differently can make it negative. For example, "Oh yeah." (blunt, with a period) could be interpreted as being sarcastic or condescending. "Oh yeah. Thanks for reminding me that I spilled coffee on my shirt." "Oh yeah. It's snowing outside. Guess we can't go swimming in the outdoor pool." Also, "Oh yeah." could be used to emphatically deliver bad news. "Did they decline your request?"/"Oh yeah." "Did you get cut from the team?"/"Oh yeah."
Need more examples of different uses of the phrase "Oh yeah" (!,?,...,.,etc.)? Try Googling "seinfeld oh yeah". It is amazing how many times the phrase was used differently throughout the dozens of episodes of the TV show Seinfeld--aka "The Show About Nothing". Oh yeah?
In handling future business and personal communication, remember to be prudent in choosing your words and how you say them--subtle differences could make or break a conversation. The truth may hurt, but misunderstandings often hurt more.
Aside from that, also feel free to take time to think of some "Oh yeah!", "Oh yeah?", and "Oh yeah..." moments. Considering such positive moments, you will likely find yourself in a good mood--even if you are having a bad day. Oh yeah? Oh yeah!
1. Have you ever had an "Oh yeah!" moment?
2. Have you ever had an "Oh yeah?" moment?
3. Have you ever had an "Oh yeah..." moment?
Wait a minute... Did I just ask you the same question three times? Let us consider:
"Oh yeah!" = celebration
"Oh yeah?" = I didn't know that
"Oh yeah..." = I forgot about that but just had an 'a-ha!' moment
In typing these questions and having you read them, you may have already thought of them as three different questions. However, had I just asked you one of these questions out loud in person, over the phone, or via web chat, would you have caught the difference? Would it have been clear to which "Oh yeah" moment (!,?,...) I was referring?
Throughout daily business and personal communication, we say many words, phrases, and sentences. Yet, the way we say these words, phrases, and sentences help define their meanings. In the case of the "Oh yeah" questions/statements listed above, each one is positive. "Oh yeah! I passed the test!" "Oh yeah? They have free pizza at the game?" "Oh yeah... I do have a copy of that classic album!"
At the same time, the same exact phrase said differently can make it negative. For example, "Oh yeah." (blunt, with a period) could be interpreted as being sarcastic or condescending. "Oh yeah. Thanks for reminding me that I spilled coffee on my shirt." "Oh yeah. It's snowing outside. Guess we can't go swimming in the outdoor pool." Also, "Oh yeah." could be used to emphatically deliver bad news. "Did they decline your request?"/"Oh yeah." "Did you get cut from the team?"/"Oh yeah."
Need more examples of different uses of the phrase "Oh yeah" (!,?,...,.,etc.)? Try Googling "seinfeld oh yeah". It is amazing how many times the phrase was used differently throughout the dozens of episodes of the TV show Seinfeld--aka "The Show About Nothing". Oh yeah?
In handling future business and personal communication, remember to be prudent in choosing your words and how you say them--subtle differences could make or break a conversation. The truth may hurt, but misunderstandings often hurt more.
Aside from that, also feel free to take time to think of some "Oh yeah!", "Oh yeah?", and "Oh yeah..." moments. Considering such positive moments, you will likely find yourself in a good mood--even if you are having a bad day. Oh yeah? Oh yeah!