A misunderstanding? when/once

Question

Here's a conversation between me and my friend:

A: Let me know when you get back
Meggie: Sunday
Adam: Let me know once you get back to Taiyuan, we'll have a chat

My question's meaning was intended to be like this: once you get back to Taiyuan, please let me know but she understood it in a different way, as if I was asking her: When are you coming back to Taiyuan.

I'm wondering whose fault it is.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Nobody's fault.  Communication is language negotiation.

Perfect Stranger · Answer

so grammatically speaking my sentences were correct, weren't they?

Fivejedjon · Answer

Perfect Strangerso grammatically speaking my sentences were correct, weren't they?

Yes, but your timing and intonation may not have been.

There is also the point that if you really wanted your friend to tell you immediately the day of her future return, you would be far more likely to have asked, "When do you get back?" Your friend did not interpret your question in the more likely way, in my opinion.

Perfect Stranger · Answer

the whole conversation took place online, on an instant messenger so intonation was not involved

A misunderstanding? when/once

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