AIBU to be annoyed by people who think literally

Blarn this little factoid is just for you, but the name of cranefly larvae is leatherjacket 🐛 ...thought you might like that one! This time of year if you see a crow digging at your lawn, or grass in the park, it's very likely they're nibbling on the larvae as they start to pupate.

I get it. My MIL is like this. Not ND, as far as I know. The literalism is so annoying as it feels patronising at best, and sucks the lifeforce out of any jokes or funny stories that might be enjoyed - clarifying every minor detail. Yawn.

@Blarn

I'm from Birmingham and never heard anyone use Crane Flies. I even asked people at work who were Brummies and they had no idea either. I have made it clear to dc that we are a Daddy Long Legs household, dh is the only one who sees Crane Flies here! One thing I do like mn for is finding out how regional some words can be.

That's interesting as I'm West Midlands too - sounds like there's a different understanding as to what a daddy long legs is dependent on where you live .

Because we don’t make a big song and dance about and we laugh it off. That’s why. Also I never said she was autistic I said she was on the pathway.

I'm from Birmingham and never heard anyone use Crane Flies. I even asked people at work who were Brummies and they had no idea either. I have made it clear to dc that we are a Daddy Long Legs household, dh is the only one who sees Crane Flies here!

One thing I do like mn for is finding out how regional some words can be.

Yes - I've always used daddy long legs as a colloquial name for crane flies .

Your DH isn’t wrong - of course crane flies exist.

My sister (who has ASD) is the same.
She'll occasionally post pictures of slightly misleading signs (one of her "favourites" is the sign "This door must be kept closed at all times", when the door is, in fact, slightly ajar) with a comment like "My literalism is getting set off again!"

It's just a silly/funny quirk. Ignore it.

Cellar spider is their actual name though? (It's not a made up or regional term)

I would have just explained that.

So many people haven't heard of cellar spiders? Although I hadn't heard of a cardinal spider until the other day (do not Google if you don't like arachnids!!)

But it's not about being literal, is it? It's about not being able to extrapolate: "she said 'cellar spider', this is a garage, which has similarities to a cellar, so probably that's what she is referring to".

A person who's not thick will be able to think this extra step, ASD or not.

(I know some cultures are more contextual than others, etc. The annoyance here is that the friend can't/ won't work on the context, and it's tiresome to deal with people like that).

Umm - no she didn't - have a Google of cellar spiders!

I've never heard of a cellar spider

I think it's a shame when people don't immediately 'get' what you're saying, but it's inevitable. The further you go away from where you grew up, the more likelihood there is of misunderstanding and having to explain. It's worse with jokes. Having to explain them is so sad. The things that people laugh at where I live compared to where I grew up .. It's great when I go back to my home town and can have a laugh with a stranger on the bus or wherever and don't have to explain. It's just one of those things, OP. I don't suppose your friend likes to feel that she doesn't understand what you're on about. You can only explain.

Sigh. Another day, another thinly veiled dig at ND people on MN.

I’ve never heard of a cellar spider (I’d just say spider) but I’m team friend, until I was about 23 I thought white goods only referred to appliances that were white in colour. Why not just say “kitchen appliances”?! And yes people should say what they mean.

They've just been talking about Cellar Spiders on This Morning 🕸🕷

I am more annoyed at people that don't say what they mean. It means I live my life continually second guessing what everyone says, because yes, I take everything literally.
I'm autistic, I don't understand sub-text

Most people have never heard of the term cellar spider so I would not say its commonly used like house spider or garden spider which most people have heard of.

Cellar spider IS the commonly used term, its the common NAME for them.
Like House Spider, and Garden spider, just because colloquially some people call it a 'daddy long legs' doesn't make it NOT a cellar spider, or 'cellar spider' not a commonly used term.

I'm neurodiverse and take things literally, it's just how my brain is wired. I accept it can be annoying for others, but it's equally annoying for me when people don't just say what they mean! 🤣 It's not that deep though is it, just chill and let it go

I'm autistic. I like people to say what they mean.

@KenAdam I'm not sure why you find it funny that your autistic daughter feels the same.

Plus I wouldn't know what a cellar spider was.

Don't think the OP was talking in riddles but I think it was a fair thing for her friend to mention ( cellar spiders is not a commonly used term) . The OP could use a little more patience. It really is a minor thing.

Same here lol

Eh? Crane flies do exist, I mean you could call them Tipuloidea if you want to go for their biological name, but crane fly is perfectly acceptable, and yes their nickname is daddy long legs.

I think like this (I have ASD) and I can tell you it’s EXHAUSTING trying to figure out what people mean, constantly, when they talk in riddles and don’t just say exactly what they mean… so yup YABVU