Monday, February 25, 2008

"I feel like..."

Pet peeve: When you start an argument with "I feel like..." When you start an argument that way, I'm not listening. I've already concluded that your argument is more about feelings than logic. Stop saying "I feel like" to introduce a discussion of facts.

It's especially aggravating because women tend to use this phrase, and I'm a woman, and they are not representing their sex well. If they have one, they're not representing their client well either.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Au conttraire, my dear. Beginning a statement with “I feel like” can actually be quite helpful in friendly academic discussion a la a law school class and maybe even to a court. It signifies that the speaker/writer is about to give you their interpretation of something. “I feel like what the Court is saying is blah, blah, blah.” It’s more respectful and less arrogant than “What the Court is saying is blah, blah.” Of course, in trial or in an advocacy piece, it would rarely be appropriate. Unless you’re arguing before an appellate court and a judge/justice says, “Well Ms. Nicols, isn’t the Court actually saying blah, blah in this case you’ve cited.” “Respecfully, Your Honor, I disagree. I feel like the Court is saying …”