Ambiguous meanings.

[Prion]

I've just noticed something that I do, that is completely normal for me, but nobody else to seems to do it. That is, that when people say things (especially directions or commands) I often find it really vague, and have to inquire further about what they meant.

I will give an example: Today was my first day of high school. My Spanish teacher told us (the class) that she was going to give a short autobiography in Spanish, and that we had to write down everything that we were able to understand from it, in English.

Well, I was confused. Was I suppose to make a list of each individual word that I recognized, only once? This seemed the most likely, but it was also possible that I had to attempt to write down everything I understood of what she was saying, as she said it (like, in a sentence). Well, I chose the former...incorrectly . She wanted us to write down everything we could translate in English of what she said, exactly as she said it. Everyone else seemed to know precisely what to do...but how? The directions didn't appear to be clear to me.

Another quick example: I was at work. I was going to load two items into one of the three vehicles. I asked my father (and boss) where to put them. He said "put that one in the back, and the other one in the truck." I put one of the things in the dump truck we were standing near...but, where was I supposed to put the other thing? I wasn't sure, so I assumed by "truck" he meant the one truck we had that wasn't technically a "dump truck" and put it in there...again, incorrectly. He said by "truck" he meant "inside the truck that you already put the other item in the back of" (paraphrase). How was that supposed to be implied?

It can be annoying at times, and it makes me seem rather stupid, having to ask so many questions and having a 50% (or more) chance of messing up.

It works the opposite way too. I am occasionally mocked for being pedantic, and for "rambling", though it's actually just a longer than average explanation, not actual disorganized rambling. Actually, I rarely get to finish what I have to say, because people tend to cut me off once they immediately assume they know what I mean.

...what is this, and what do I do (if anything) about it? Does anyone else experience similar things?

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

All throughout school and most of university I was answering the wrong question because I did not interpret it in the same way as whom ever wrote it. Since my interpretations were reasonable I was able to get a few of my assignments/exams remarked. The same sort of thing happened at a labouring job. I eventually told the boss to explain what he wanted as if I were retarded. These days people don't know what they want so I get passed a general idea and I develop it according to what framework I think should exist.

 

[Prion]

"Explain it to me as if I was retarded."

That's a good one. I'll remember that.

 

[EditorOne]

I'd have goofed up the Spanish teacher's assignment, also: I would have assumed she wanted to know if her message was understood, ie., she spent her summer vacation hunting gophers or whatever.

There's a thing called 'active listening' that might help, at least in conversation. Hear what is said and give back to the speaker in other words: not what was said but what you think it means, and do it as a question: "So you want me to put the big box in the dump bed of the dump truck and the smaller package in the front of the walk-in van?" That gives the speaker a chance to clarify and you don't have to invite people to treat you like you're stupid. Variation: "If I understand you, you want..." Caveat: If you've got the usual INTP things going on, you might find people getting defensive when you ask questions because you might be coming across as "I can't believe anyone could come up with something this stupid, so I'm checking to make sure it is this stupid." So smile and watch your body language.

The other thing that might help is: Stop analyzing stuff to death.