AIBU to be annoyed by people who think literally

[CunningStunt86]

One of my friends does this all the time. She will take everything I say, literally.
For example, we were in my garage (new place, so was showing her around) I explained that it'd be a good space, once I got rid of the cellar spiders that have taken over. She genuinely looked puzzled, and said... "cellar spiders? But this is a garage, shouldn't they be in the cellar?!!"
I was so taken aback, I just laughed it off
but she was being serious 🙈 I mean how do you respond to people like this?!

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

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.

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

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.

I've never heard of a cellar spider

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

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).

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!!)

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.

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

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

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.

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.

@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 .

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 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.