The Word Try

Discussion in 'Evolution of Language' started by Martin Alonzo, Feb 6, 2016.

  1. Martin Alonzo

    Martin Alonzo Supreme Member
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    There is some words that we use and they send out an idea but that is not what you said: confused? The word try is often used to tell a person you are going to do something but in fact it means the opposite. An example if I asked you to come over to my house and you did not want to but you also do not want to hurt my feeling you would probably say yes I will try and make it.

    One of my hobbies was hypnosis and I was a registered Hypnotherapist in the US .When people came over to be helped to quit smoking when we were finished if they told me that they were going to try real hard I knew they had wasted their and my time whey were not going to quit. I now listen for that word and know its hidden meaning.

    Example if you told someone to try and push your hand if your hand moves they did not try they did it if the hand does not move then they tried.
     
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  2. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    My ex Significant Other would always respond to my saying "I'm trying" with "yes, you Are". :)
     
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  3. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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  4. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    Lol, Holly!
     
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  5. Diane Lane

    Diane Lane Veteran Member
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    @Martin Alonzo I totally agree with you in regard to most people.I could usually tell which clients were going to go the extra mile and participate fully, versus those who were putting on a show had no intention of following through, as well as those who would put in at least some effort, and who would at least make some improvement/positive changes. I've used the word try in that context myself, so I know it can sometimes be and often is, used as an excuse.

    I do use the word/phrase in a different way, also. I really don't like to break promises, and have learned that sometimes it's better to lower a person's expectations up front, rather than promise something I may not be able to deliver on, by saying that I will try. I used to make a lot of promises and kept them, but when my health (and finances) started deteriorating, I found myself unable to follow through with some plans, so I've learned to let people know that I will do my best, but sometimes I'll be unable to complete a transaction, participate in an event, etc.
     
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  6. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    It does seem like "try" is a word that can designate a widely varied amount of effort. Like @Martin Alonzo pointed out; we often say we will try when we have NO intention of actually trying to do the promised action at all.
    Sometimes, it does mean that we will make the effort, and if all goes well, we will actually do it; but it is not guaranteed. I think that with some things, making the effort is all we can guarantee.
    When I was selling life insurance, there is no way that I could guarantee selling a certain amount of policies that day. However, I could say that I would make a certain number of house calls, or would work for a certain number of hours, and try to make that goal amount of sales. This meant that I was putting in my best effort to accomplish the goal; so I do not think that it is wrong to say that we will try when we actually intend to do something if we can do it.
    And it is probably as good a way as any to let someone know that we are not going to likely do something, without just bluntly telling them that we won't do it. Sometimes, things change, and you actually do those things, even when you didn't think you would when you said that you would try to do it.
     
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  7. Martin Alonzo

    Martin Alonzo Supreme Member
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    You are giving yourself an excuse to fail before you make the effort. Your brain knows the word try and it knows when to use it. An example when under hypnosis if you tell a person his arm is made of steel and then try as hard as you can to bend it he of course he will fail but if you told him to bend it he would.
     
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  8. Krissttina Isobe

    Krissttina Isobe Veteran Member
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    The word is one that usually means no...I'll try to make it, you can bet it means no they will not come for if they wanted to go they'd ask when, where, what attire etc. and not say I'll try to make it. Try is a nice word if you understand that the people using it means not to hurt your feelings with a blunt, no. People are busy and guess things they'd like to do is sometimes can't make it, but they don't have the heart to say no to you. :)
     
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  9. Corie Henson

    Corie Henson Veteran Member
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    Whenever my husband would be invited to an affair or any other event and he doesn't have the interest, his usual reply would be "I will try." So when I hear that phrase from him, rest assured that the chances of him going is nil. In our office, the use of the word try is not encouraged. Instead of trying, our boss would usually say with stress, why not do it? He said that there is a big difference in trying and doing. So if you promise to make a good work then work on it and stop trying.
     
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  10. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    I have been on the receiving end of the word 'try' many times and I remember always hoping that the effort would come to fuition. So to me it was very disappointing when it didn't. I would just like to be told 'yes' or 'no' but it seldom happens.
     
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    Last edited: Nov 3, 2016
  11. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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    I read an article called "Saying 'Yes', to No". Rather than being pressured into doing something we don't want to do, it is OK to say "No", because when we say "Yes" to one thing, we are saying "No" to other things at the same time. (The word "Try" never comes up).
     
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  12. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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  13. Ina I. Wonder

    Ina I. Wonder Supreme Member
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    No try ...Do. (From the Hobbit)
     
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    Last edited: Nov 14, 2016
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