Translating from One Idiom to Another

I want to be open to suggestion, but certain suggestions on what to wear tend to make me cranky.  Maybe it’s a communication thing.

You say: “Have you ever considered wearing foundation?”

I hear: “Your face is so ugly, why don’t you do us all a favor and cover it up?”

My husband used to suggest jeans and sweatshirt all the time . Then I would get frustrated, because shapeless sweatshirts, which were ubiquitous in those days, just don’t work with my type 8 figure.

What I did: I resolved to hear “sweater” every time he says “sweatshirt”. It works, since what he really means is “dress in layers”.  Now whenever someone makes a suggestion which doesn’t sit well with me, I discipline myself to think through to a translation from their idiom to mine.

3 thoughts on “Translating from One Idiom to Another”

  1. Understanding each other is a huge and important concept in marriage and I think I know what your husband ment, that is that you always look great, so wear some thing your are comfortable in.

    If I did not have such a WONDERFUL wife, I would ask YOU to marry me.

    Mariage is cool!

  2. Pingback: The Space Between My Peers » From Style Personality to Unique Idiom

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