June 26, 2007Water the Dog
Barbara and I got a kick out of a story a teleseminar attendee shared in last Thursday’s class. When she got her first dog, her father sent her out to…
- water the dog
He assumed she knew what that meant. She didn’t. She was frustrated that the dog wouldn’t sit still while she “watered” him. It was a mess.
It may surprise you how specific your word choice needs to be.
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What does “water the dog” mean then? I would have responded the same way!
Comment by Katy — June 26, 2007 @ 11:57 am
Hi Katy,
As a dog owner, I’d assume the comment meant to “give the dog some water” as in fill his bowl of water. When I’ve heard the phrase “Water the horses” I thought it meant to give them a drink. Just a guess, though!
Comment by Cindy Mueller — June 26, 2007 @ 5:59 pm
In my family, it was a way of saying take the dog outside so she doesn’t have to cross her legs any longer.
Comment by Jenni — June 26, 2007 @ 9:05 pm
” Water the dog” meant give the dog fresh water to drink.
“The dog needs to go out” meant the dog had business to do outdoors
“Give the dog a bath” meant the dog was dirty and needs a bath
“feed the dog” meant feed the dog food ,time for nutrition.
Comment by Frances King — June 27, 2007 @ 1:12 pm
I love this example! It’s amusing how literal kids can be. It really shows how sometimes meanings can be lost by assuming the person you’re speaking to understands you on a figurative level! I referenced your example (and used one of my own!) on my blog, http://blog.thedetectivemom.com.
Keep ‘em coming!
Comment by Kris Porotsky — February 9, 2009 @ 10:36 am