UTTERANCES: INTENTION AND PERCEPTION

Words they say are like air, once released into space, they cannot be recovered any longer. Words can make or mar people, relationships, marriage and gatherings. Words can start a war and can also bring an end to a long-fought battle. Words are priceless, expensive and fragile elements of human communication. They should be taken with great care because utterances we make have two (2) main points worthy of note; Intention and Perception of both the speaker and listener respectively.

Oftentimes, utterances that were meant to mean well, be harmless jokes and playful statements are perceived otherwise by the second party in the communication. This is a very big gap in communication that has had a great effect on relationships and rapports between persons, people and nations. The intention behind certain utterances is sometimes not to provoke, insult, belittle, annoy or criticise but the perception of the listener might be otherwise and this sometimes causes rancour and unrest.

Perception of an utterance by a listener can be on the negative form even when the speaker never meant any harm or misdoing with the uttered word, words or expression. It is a little but big issue that has been the cause of several unrests and violent activities in our communities and societies. It is quite a herculean task for a speaker to include the intention of his or her utterance(s) in the statement while talking to another person. Every individual is expected to at least be more patient and understanding when it comes to words, utterances and statements because one can never be too sure what goes on in the mind of others while conversing. The tone, pitch and mood of the speaker might be sending a wrong message different from the intended one to the listener.

As humans, we are sometimes impulsive and engulfed by emotions, get tempered, violent, angry and rabid at the hearing of certain statements, utterances or expressions due to several factors ranging from personal (attitudinal), to environmental, behavioural factors or mood swings. We should learn to be more open-minded and understanding when trying to dissect peoples statements or expressions. Putting oneself in the shoes of the speaker is the first thing we should do when interpreting whatever was heard especially when getting the actual meaning of the utterance becomes hard or confusing.

People are not always with bad intentions. Though no one is really an angel when it comes to utterances we should learn to be more patient and open-minded about the perceived meanings of words, utterances, expressions and statements. Your perception might not be the intention of other's people utterance(s). Let's live a peaceful and easy way. Think it through before reading meaning(s) to people's utterances. I am Quadri Qudus Bolaji (QIDAKINGIN) by name. One Love! Peace!