“I spoke to Mary” Am I not supposed to say “spoke” if it’s communication via text message or email?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you speak to God, is it out loud?

No, that would be weird. He speaks to me out loud, though, which is handy for knowing which nations to smite.

[Anonymous]

You’re wrong. “Spoke” means speaking, verbally, not in writing. You could say “connected with” or “communicated with” if you mean by text. “Texted with” is most accurate.

[Anonymous]

This topic really spoke to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't use spoke unless it was verbal.

I’m so pedantic that I wouldn’t use “spoke” unless it was an oral conversation. Verbal means words.

Spoken words?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't use spoke unless it was verbal.

You mean oral, since verbal means the use of written or spoken words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't use spoke unless it was verbal.

I’m so pedantic that I wouldn’t use “spoke” unless it was an oral conversation. Verbal means words.

I don't use "spoke" unless it's in person. Teams, telephones, etc., are really just electronic reproductions of words. So even if I am speaking into the device, I can't be too sure if someone is "speaking" on the other end. "Spoke" has a very narrow use case, actually.

Better: "I corresponded with Mary via the visual electronic medium Teams v2.7 on Dell SN:105348415."

FFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't use spoke unless it was verbal.

I’m so pedantic that I wouldn’t use “spoke” unless it was an oral conversation. Verbal means words.

I don't use "spoke" unless it's in person. Teams, telephones, etc., are really just electronic reproductions of words. So even if I am speaking into the device, I can't be too sure if someone is "speaking" on the other end. "Spoke" has a very narrow use case, actually.

Better: "I corresponded with Mary via the visual electronic medium Teams v2.7 on Dell SN:105348415."

FFS.

Seriously. No date or time mentioned. This could have happened in 1923 for all we know.

[Anonymous]

I texted with, chatted with, we texted about that.. Spoke means a conversation with voices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've learned to say: I texted with Mary. Or emailed with Mary., to avoid confusion. Actually speaking to someone can make a difference in terms of depth of understanding of a situation or issue. It also implies an actual conversation. Too many times things are misconstrued or not that clear via text and to a lesser degree with email.

Would you then say something like “she said” or does that imply a spoken conversation? Or would you always say “she typed” or “she also texted,” etc?

NP. I usually say "I texted xyz about xyz" and "she said .."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've learned to say: I texted with Mary. Or emailed with Mary., to avoid confusion. Actually speaking to someone can make a difference in terms of depth of understanding of a situation or issue. It also implies an actual conversation. Too many times things are misconstrued or not that clear via text and to a lesser degree with email.

Would you then say something like “she said” or does that imply a spoken conversation? Or would you always say “she typed” or “she also texted,” etc?

NP. I usually say "I texted xyz about xyz" and "she said .."

That sounds stupid and immature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I texted with, chatted with, we texted about that.. Spoke means a conversation with voices.

No spoke means communicated with doesn't matter how.

[Anonymous]

Liz Warren uses “spoke” even when it’s smoke signals.

[Anonymous]

Why not just use the correct verb? I emailed with Mary or I texted with Mary? It’s an extra syllable, it doesn’t even change the sentence structure to be accurate.

[Anonymous]

I pinged Mary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not just use the correct verb? I emailed with Mary or I texted with Mary? It’s an extra syllable, it doesn’t even change the sentence structure to be accurate.

What if you text Mary and she emails back? Should we start requiring people respond in kind so that sentence structure is simpler?