How would you interpret this?

[sewsewsewyourboats]

A message conversation between my sister and me;

”Hi do you fancy coming to ours next weekend? Any time is fine, you can stay a couple nights if you like?”

”sounds good can we come Friday please?”

As it got closer it’s transpired there has been some confusion. The reply was meant as come for one night on Friday but it was taken as arrive Friday and stay the whole bank holiday weekend.

What would you think?

It just refers to two things which are different but the same in essence.

Six of one and half a dozen of the other.

This.

There was lack of clarity on both sides.

ItsUpToYou

The phrase means that no one was right so no one person was in the wrong.

There's equally both fault and no fault on both sides.

It just means there’s no meaningful difference between the two things or they’re both about the same all things considered. So you could use it about making a choice between two options when it doesn’t much matter which you choose. In this context it means you can see both people’s positions and no one is really right or wrong. It’s not specifically about misunderstandings.

If I invited someone for the weekend I would always assume they were staying until Sunday regardless of which day they arrived so someone coming on Friday I would assume at least two nights. Add on the BH and yes, I would have assumed you were staying till the Monday.

Person B is arriving on Friday and staying until either Sunday or Monday

I think this is why clarifying is always best rather than assuming. Too much room for error.

My daughter's boyfriend is coming to stay 'next weekend' for the first time.

The first thing I did was clarify what day he was arriving and what day he was leaving so I could plan around it.

So Dsis invited me and kids. We are busy Sunday so planned to go Friday and come home Saturday. She thought we were coming Friday and staying until Sunday or Monday. She’s fine but a bit miffed I think.
I think I didn’t read her message properly so just answered regarding the invite not specific days . She didn’t clarify and I didn’t think I needed to clarify but reading back I can see it’s not quite clear.

"sounds good' seems to refer to the offer of a couple of nights. You sound like you are arriving on Friday for a couple of nights. Just a miscommunication.

I’m with you sister, I’d interpret that as coming Friday for the “couple of nights” that you said “sounds good.”

A misunderstanding.

I would assume coming Friday for 2 nights but would have clarified.

I’d say person B wasn’t clear enough, but it’s not a big deal. They were invited to come for a few nights so if they weren’t going to stay a few nights they should have specified that.

I would have assumed you were arriving on Friday and staying two nights.
Yoyr reply was inadequate but Sis should have clarified. Anyway you all know now…

I would assume from those messages that you would be staying on Friday and Saturday night. If you were only planning to stay for one night, and not the "couple of nights" that you were invited for, I would have expected you to state this clearly in your response. "Can we come on Friday? We're busy over the weekend so we'd only be able to stay for one night". Not addressing the "couple of nights" invitation directly makes it look like you've accepted that.

I’d have double checked when they intended to leave, so that I knew what’s what.
Is your sister miffed because she assumed you’d be staying longer and she’s bought food/planned Easter activities for the kids on Sunday?

Nothing is planned/bought yet. I think it’s more the idea she is a bit upset by. So she had her whole weekend booked up and now she has no plans for Sunday/monday.

How early are you planning on leaving on Saturday? I'd be a bit upset if I was your sister too. Not cross but definitely a bit sad that I'd invited you for the weekend and you were only coming for one night.

I think this is how I’d be feeling too.

Tea time or after tea if invited to stop.

She offered a couple of nights, and you said yes and you'd come Friday. So she assumed you would also stay Saturday. You could have said. "Sounds good can we come Friday please? We will need to head home on Saturday afternoon because we are doing whatever on Sunday" but it doesn't seem like a situation that needs any drama or upset

sounds good can we come Friday please?

That person should have clarified that they only wanted to stay for one night at this point.

I read it that they were arriving Friday and the length of stay wasn’t confirmed

Both sides are wrong The person who responded should have been clear they'd only be staying for one night. The person who offered should have clarified.

I suppose if you want to argue further, "couple" is an unfortunate term because to most people it means two, but some see it as interchangeable with "a few". In either case though, the person accepting the invitation is more wrong, because under no circumstances does "couple of nights" mean one night.

But it all sounds rather a minor misunderstanding. If you're relationship is such they they are willing to invite you to stay (and you willing to go), it ought to be possible to resolve this dispute without much bloodshed.

I would take that as the person would arrive Friday for a couple of nights. If you wanted to go for 1 night only but only reply can we come Friday I would also assume that’s 2 nights. Should have specified Friday for 1 night

Yes to me ‘couple’ is interchangeable with ‘an unspecified amount to be confirmed into an exact number later’