Question

Which of the following statements is true of direct and indirect speech? Direct messages allow you to express a desire without insulting or offending anyone ""Do my laundry!"" is an example of an indirect message. Indirect messages do not cause miscommunication. Direct messages are typically less polite than indirect messages.

Answer 1

Answer:

I would say that the statement that is true is the one that says: "Indirect messages do not cause miscommunication."

Explanation:

I chose this statement because it is true that the fact that a message is indirect doesn't mean it is not clear for the receptor, the effective comprehension of the message will depend on the words choice of the speaker/writer and not on the kind of message he/she is using to express it. About the other options, it is true that a direct message allows you to express a desire without insulting or offending anyone, but it is also true that it doesn't depend on the message being direct or indirect, it only depends on the speaker being polite or not. The example "Do my laundry!" is actually an example of a direct message, it is written between quotation marks and it indicates that those are the exact words of the speaker, it is a direct message. About the last statement: the fact that the message being polite or not, doesn't depend on the kind of message, it depends on the speaker being polite or not, being kind or not. The most accurate answer is that the statement that is true is the third one: "Indirect messages do not cause miscommunication.", at least not necessarily.