I am quite new to the forum, mostly watching and (hopefully) learning, but a number of posts are confusing me a little, not the content, rather the form.
However, a lot of threads have questions like "Do you have any more photos of this tank or now (sic) it's identity?" (for example) , who is the "you" referred to in the question. Does this mean that the forums are not designed for open discussions, the question suggests that only one person can provide the answer.
Surely the form should be "Does anyone.....", addressing a question to a single person (the "you" in the phrase) suggests that there is only one person with knowledge on the forum, or am I mistaken and missing how the forums are organised?
I appreciate that there will be people on the forum whose first language is not English, and I cannot claim to be well versed in other languages myself.
It doesn't matter. As a broadcaster, I was taught very early on to speak as if addressing one person. "One to one" they call it. So I would say, "If you have . . ." or "Do you have . . " It's OK to say, "Does anyone have . . .", although I would avoid it. An absolute no-no is "Do any of you have . . . ", because that is speaking as if to a group. I know you are speaking to a group of people, but the idea is that each individual's perception should be that you are speaking exclusively to him/her. It drives me mad to hear presenters on radio saying, "Lots of you have phoned in . . ." or "Thanks for all your emails . . ." And I could throw the radio through the window when I hear, "Hello, everybody." "One to one" is officially BBC policy, but it seems to be honoured more in the breach than the observance.
However, I shouldn't worry about any of that here. If you are the person to whom the question applies, then respond accordingly. Of course, sometimes a two-way conversation takes place, but generally speaking, all that matters is that the message gets through.
-- Edited by James H on Sunday 6th of August 2017 03:31:39 PM
__________________
"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.
It doesn't matter. As a broadcaster, I was taught very early on to speak as if addressing one person. "One to one" they call it. So I would say, "If you have . . ." or "Do you have . . " It's OK to say, "Does anyone have . . .", although I would avoid it. An absolute no-no is "Do any of you have . . . ", because that is speaking as if to a group. I know you are speaking to a group of people, but the idea is that each individual's perception should be that you are speaking exclusively to him/her. It drives me mad to hear presenters on radio saying, "Lots of you have phoned in . . ." or "Thanks for all your emails . . ." And I could throw the radio through the window when I hear, "Hello, everybody." "One to one" is officially BBC policy, but it seems to be honoured more in the breach than the observance.
However, I shouldn't worry about any of that here. If you are the person to whom the question applies, then respond accordingly. Of course, sometimes a two-way conversation takes place, but generally speaking, all that matters is that the message gets through.
-- Edited by James H on Sunday 6th of August 2017 03:31:39 PM
Thank you, I think I see want you mean, though to be fair we are not broadcasters. I am used to a more inclusive form of address on forums.
I'm sorry, John, I don't understand the problem. No one's trying to exclude anyone.. It's just a style of address. I actually don't think it works very well with the written word, but I explained about the "one-to-one rule" just to show how it can work. The idea is to make it sound personal rather than impersonal, which is the opposite of what seems to be troubling you. I can only repeat that there's nothing untoward going on.
__________________
"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.
