Even something as seemingly straightforward as asking for the salt involves thinking and communicating at two levels, which is why we utter such convoluted requests as, “If you think you could pass the salt, that would be great.”
Says Pinker: “It’s become so common that we don’t even notice that it is a philosophical rumination rather than a direct imperative. It’s a bit of a social dilemma. On the one hand, you do want the salt. On the other hand, you don’t want to boss people around lightly.
“So you split the difference by saying something that literally makes no sense while also conveying the message that you’re not treating them like some kind of flunky.” —Peter Calamai —Of thought and metaphor (Toronto Star)