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Words and the Engineer
Sep. 14th, 2014 10:37 pmAh, the curse of an engineering background. I've found that phrases are interpreted in exacting ways. None engineering types? They use phrases with sweeping references. Eh? Below are examples that are interpreted differently by the engineering type and the non-engineering type.
The door was wide open.
Engineer: the door was open as much as possible
Non-Engineer: the door was open, if only a little bit
The recycling bin was full of water.
Engineer: full to overflowing, everything in the container is submerged
Non-Engineer: there is some water in the bin
Your pants are covered with mud.
Engineer: mud is on almost every square inch of the pants
Non-Engineer: there is mud right there, that splash
Who am I? Sadly I'm the engineering type. That means I go into panic when I hear these statements... but thank goodness the door was only barely open, the recycling bin just had a few inches of water, and there was almost no mud on my pants!
The door was wide open.
Engineer: the door was open as much as possible
Non-Engineer: the door was open, if only a little bit
The recycling bin was full of water.
Engineer: full to overflowing, everything in the container is submerged
Non-Engineer: there is some water in the bin
Your pants are covered with mud.
Engineer: mud is on almost every square inch of the pants
Non-Engineer: there is mud right there, that splash
Who am I? Sadly I'm the engineering type. That means I go into panic when I hear these statements... but thank goodness the door was only barely open, the recycling bin just had a few inches of water, and there was almost no mud on my pants!
