Experiment: Tentative Language We have a strong tendency to confuse facts and inferences by just simply listening to the words that might people say such as common names or verbs and interactions. As an exercise in becoming more sensitive to the difference between facts and inferences, I used tentative language to enhances my sensitivity in distinguishing the two types of statements.
In the past twenty four hours, as I pay attention to every word I uttered in describing people and interactions, which I used tentative language, I found instances in which tentative language can be more accurate. In general, tentative language doesn't make absolute certainties, meaning you have to use limiting words, modal verbs and softening or hedging verbs in order not to be sound so factual and becomes more accurate. For example, after watching a concert last night and had a small conversation with a friend of mine. Instead of saying this words to him "The Lead vocalist of the band is very popular in Asia and is loved and respected by his fans" we can paraphrase it in this way "The Lead vocalist of the band appears to be very popular in Asia and seems to be loved and respected by his fans" in this way of saying it, you will lessen or taking out the confusion between facts and inferences. In relation, if you try to look at the first phrase, you will notice the lead vocalist is very popular to all the people in Asia. In addition, I used the word ‘appears’ as a softening or hedging verbs, other type such as ‘suggest’ and ‘indicates’. And to be sound not too factual I used the words ‘seems to be’. On the other hand, one afternoon in a coffee shop I extended my observation to other people and the language they used. When I hear they saying words such as “she is,” “they are,” or “he is” in a sentence, I always think that they really making inference statements. For example, I hear the words “she is sleeping when she farted” and “He is the boss of all the men at work”, since this information is available at the time I heard it uttered by someone, I consider it as an inference statement coming from the speaker and vice versa because I believe that it is true by the existence of two condition. On the first sentence, I believe that the women or might be a girl that being talked about that time, only farts when she’s asleep and the man is the boss of all the men working at the road wearing yellow shirts; this idea of mine is taken by an educated guess based on the information I have heard with the people arounds me that very moment.
To sum it all up, to be accurate in identifying differences between facts and inferences, always bear in mind that inferential statement , e.g the one elicited on my mind when I heard people using common regular verbs; can be made anytime and it goes beyond what can be observed. Inferential statement also shows some degree of probability. On the other hand, in using tentative language it always requires cautious way of saying and thinking words to utter because if not you will be sound too factual and can be misunderstood. Therefore, person that has a knowledge in using tentative language appears to be accurate in identifying facts and inferences.
Citation:
1. The Davis-Nelson Company, “Facts and Inferences” 2012, retrieved at http://www.davisnelson.com/page40.html