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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Vocabulary

Strange conversation

Hi,

I read the following dialogue:
A: You saw the picture? Is it your brother?
B: I'm sorry, I don't know the person in the picture.

In my language this seems like a very strange response. We would answer something like "No, it's not my brother.".
How do native speakers see this English answer? Is it native to answer like this in English?
  

Top answer

Is there any context? Perhaps person B wants to be distant, wary and uncooperative with the police.

— Clive

  • Is there any context?
  • Perhaps person B wants to be distant, wary and uncooperative with the police.
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18 Answers
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Is there any context?
Perhaps person B wants to be distant, wary and uncooperative with the police.
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CliveIs there any context?Perhaps person B wants to be distant, wary and uncooperative with the police.
It was a private conversation. This can't be the reason.
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CliveIs there any context?Perhaps person B wants to be distant, wary and uncooperative with the police.
Why do you say uncooperative btw? Is there any ambiguity in the answer?
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AnonymousWhy do you say uncooperative btw?
Clive was giving a possible scenario in which such an answer might have been given.

In normal everyday conversations, such an answer would sound rather odd.
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AlpheccaStars AnonymousWhy do you say uncooperative btw?Clive was giving a possible scenario in which such an answer might have been given.In normal everyday conversations, such an answer would sound rather odd.
Well, the whole conversation is:
A: You saw the picture? Is it your brother? I would be very glad if you give one quick answer when you have seen
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AnonymousAnd it's a private conversation. Can you imagine why the person answered like this?
No.

It might make sense when we see the movie.
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AlpheccaStars AnonymousAnd it's a private conversation. Can you imagine why the person answered like this?No. It might make sense when we see the movie.
There is no movie. In fact I am person A and I had a picture of a friend I haven't seen a long time. I didn't find him on facebook, but someone that had the same name like his brother. So I thought that could
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It makes sense now. Your attitude was quite aggressive in your questioning. You put person B on the defensive and so they answered in a submissive way.
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AlpheccaStarsIt makes sense now. Your attitude was quite aggressive in your questioning. You put person B on the defensive and so they answered in a submissive way.
Uhm but why? I wanted to ask friendly. I don't know him and just wanted to know if it's his brother or not. I never spoke to this person before.

And why did he answer submissive? I mean I
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AnonymousI wanted to ask friendly. I don't know him and just wanted to know if it's his brother or not. I never spoke to this person before.
You may have wanted to ask in a friendly way, but you actually didn't. It was, as Clive surmised, as if you were holding an inquisition. And the other person suspected you were up to no good, so they answered in an evasiv
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