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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how literally you take these statements?

194 replies

KneadingKitty · 09/03/2022 10:28

If someone said to you "can you make a couple of copies of this please?" how many copies would you make?

If someone sent you an email and marked it as "urgent", what does urgent mean to you? How long would you think was acceptable to reply?

First thought of the top of your head rather than properly thinking it!

OP posts:
FayCarew · 09/03/2022 13:55

2 copies
I'd probably do it immediately

ofwarren · 09/03/2022 13:55

I remember as an autistic child, I was at Brownies and they handed round a biscuit tin. Brown Owl told me to take a few, so I took 3 and got shouted at! She told me that a few means 2....
I wish people would be clear with what they say.
Why not just say how many you mean?

Baileysoncereal · 09/03/2022 13:56

Wow a lot of people on this thread wouldn’t last ‘a couple’ of minutes at my work place Grin
Just imagining my boss if I handed him just 2 copies of something
Or waited 24 hours to reply to an urgent message Grin

Gribbie · 09/03/2022 13:57

Couple - I'd clarify how many, if they weren't around to ask I'd porobably do one extra for luck
Urgently - depends on your role. Might mean NOW, else within an hour or so.

cheapskatemum · 09/03/2022 13:57

2 copies & I'd reply to the email as soon as I could. As in: I'd read it straight away and if it required a straightforward response, I'd do it there & then. If it were asking me to do something more convoluted, I'd reply saying when I would do it by.

luckylavender · 09/03/2022 13:57

I think these are questions of culture and things you learn from working with people.

topcat2014 · 09/03/2022 13:59

Lack of preparation on your part does not create a priority on my part 😀

gelatodipistacchio · 09/03/2022 13:59

A couple is two but I would apply my judgement based on what I know about the reason for the copies (in the absence of being able to just ask, which I would do if possible, eg "is 5 enough").

Urgent is highly fact specific. For example, if I know someone is in a meeting and they email me "urgent" (we need more copies??? Grin)I will definitely be on that immediately. Otherwise, I would make it my next priority. If it's from another department/ HR, I would do before the end of the day.

topcat2014 · 09/03/2022 14:00

I do my own photo copying

FangsForTheMemory · 09/03/2022 14:02

A couple is two.

Urgent, I'd read immediately and aim to respond within the hour, but I used to work in a very pressured environment and within the hour would have been considered slack.

CornishGem1975 · 09/03/2022 14:02

Couple of copies: Probably three, a couple is 2 to me, but I'd probably do another to be on the safe side.

Urgent: Respond immediately.

Donson · 09/03/2022 14:03

2 copies.
I’d reply to the email and ask when they needed the urgent matter dealt by and prioritise it accordingly.

mnnewbie111 · 09/03/2022 14:04

Some people don't understand that a couple LITERALLY means two. Bless! You're right, they're stupid and too lazy to actually explain

Choppingonions · 09/03/2022 14:05

A couple is two.

Urgent is right now or within half an hour.

daisyjgrey · 09/03/2022 14:06

@navydear Are you mad? If you have a parter, you are quite literally described as being "in a couple"...

Shuffleuplove · 09/03/2022 14:10

2, and now pretty much. Might have a wee and brew first but that’s it.

AngelinaFibres · 09/03/2022 14:34

A couple is 2 . If your child had a birthday treat and could bring a couple of friends that would be 2 friends. A party with a few friends would be more than 2 but max 5.

AngelinaFibres · 09/03/2022 14:37

[quote daisyjgrey]@navydear Are you mad? If you have a parter, you are quite literally described as being "in a couple"...[/quote]
Exactly .Dancing on ice, strictly etc etc 'the couple leaving us this week is......'. Two people leave. They are a couple. There are 2 of them. 5 people do not leave the show.

AngelinaFibres · 09/03/2022 14:44

@navydear

No way is a couple of copies just two. At least five and ask if more is necessary?? If there were a couple of people standing around, I would never think just two or else you would state there are two people standing around. If two copies were needed then whoever needs them would obviously will u make two copies. So a couple of copies mean a few more, five seems appropriate. Urgent would mean asap and definitely the same day
If you said there are 2 people in front of you in the queue or you said there are a couple of people in the queue in front of you you would be saying exactly the same thing. If you said that there were a few people in the queue I would expect more than 2 , maximum 5.
greenlynx · 09/03/2022 14:46

A couple - my immediate thought was actually 5 , but then I’ve thought that 3 would be more appropriate. Can’t explain why, but it depends on the nature of the document, definitely not 2.
Urgent - I will read straight away and start working on it. I will email to the sender if it can’t be done by the end of the day.

ClemFandangoo · 09/03/2022 14:48

A couple literally means 2, a few means 3. I’d have done 2.

Urgent to me means end of day but I always clarify as for some urgent means the end of the next day or could be for a meeting in a couple hours. I’d always check but that work would be prioritised over everything.

Beamur · 09/03/2022 14:49

This thread has amply demonstrated that there is no concensus on either of these terms.
Say how many copies are required and be clear about a precise frame of reference expected for reply/action.

thewhatsit · 09/03/2022 14:51

Urgent - depends who it’s from.

I am a SAHM these days but this is making me remember when I did work and a particular department used to label every single email either “URGENT” or “VERY URGENT”. It was all a bit boy who cried wolf and they went to the bottom of the pile. If an “urgent” came in from someone very senior or from someone who never normally exaggerated I would take it as “do right now”.

AryaStarkWolf · 09/03/2022 14:53

@KneadingKitty

Thank you! These are just things I've been told I was wrong for taking too literally and I couldn't understand it. Apparently for the "couple" they wanted around 5. Why didn't they specify then?! A couple is two. As for urgent, I always thought that meant put it to the top of your priority list and do it immediately.

I'm relieved now that the responses are what I thought too. Smile

A couple is two, a few is more than 2 but not loads
pigsDOfly · 09/03/2022 15:00

How can a 'couple' equal 5. A couple is 2.

When a 'couple' get married it's 2 people getting married there doesn't tend to be another 3 people hanging around.