Indirectness
Pattern
Form of X→function of Y — speech act mismatch for social purposes
Definition
Performing a speech act through a different, less direct speech act form. A request framed as a question, a criticism framed as a suggestion, a command framed as an observation.
Examples
Example 1
'It's getting cold in here.' — literally an observation about temperature, but pragmatically an indirect request to close the window or turn up the heat.
AI Detection Note
AI tends to be indirect in obvious, formulaic ways ('it might be worth considering' for 'do this'). Human indirectness is more varied and context-sensitive, often relying on shared knowledge that AI lacks.
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