Posted by Maria on October 18, 2002
What would be the exact meaning and connotation
of this one? My friend says "When you speak of someone "putting their foot in
their mouth", it means that they spoke thoughtlessly, or made a brash comment
without realizing that someone around might find the statement offensive. It does
NOT apply to when someone makes an ordinary statement and someone else doesn't
understand it or takes it the wrong way."
But I think it's when you say something
without taking account of what the connotation of what your saying might be. Such
as when you ask a heaveset woman when her due date is, only to find that she's
not pregnant. Clearly there's no misunderstanding there, and she didn't take it
the wrong way. The issue is in what you said.
Thanks for helping clear this
up!