Comment by anonzzzies
1 year ago
I think adults should read 'majority' when someone says everyone. I will keep saying it when talking with adults as it is just easier than put all the exceptions; if some people get annoyed by it, that's not really my problem.
Alternatively you could use 'most people', or any one of several equivalent expressions, and preserve the meaning of everyone as every one. There is an aroma of manipulation around using language that gives the impression of absolute consensus even if all parties involved understand its vernacular meaning. It's embellishment in service of influencing people and rightly denounced in any context where accurate communication is important.
But we are not writing a scientific paper here; we are having a discussion. I guess if it matters in the scientific sense, one would be more careful; so if the discussion would be about a new type of medicine then 'cures all people' would be a stupid thing to say. Here however, it doesn't matter. But point taken: I guess I commented as HN has especially has this nasty about of commenting on things where it indeed doesn't matter, stuff like 'citation needed' or 'but it cannot be most people, because I know blah blah blah'. Pointless let's say for this phone discussion; might be relevant for a medicine/vaccine or so.