Is That A Threat?

Post Reply New Topic

If one person says to the other one, do this or I'll do that, then the other person says, is that a threat? Why people say that? It's a Duh answer and what does it have to do with what they were discussing?

To translate your sentence, it means "do this or I'll be really really really upset." And the response, "You really care that much? Okay."
It's just a way of stressing a point.

I think "is that a threat" is meant as a challenge, and if the first person says 'yes that's a threat" then the other person can say something about it. It gives the threatener the option to back down, so that the threatened can feel justified in responding if the threatener did not choose to back down. I don't know if I'm explaining this very well - I know what I mean but I don't know if it sounds like it makes sense to anybody else.

Then it's a "read between the lines" thing? I'm not good at that.

It can be a crime to threaten someone so some people are clarifying that, especially in front of witnesses. It's best not to threaten people anyway.

Sometimes you don't think of it as a threat. Like if I say, if you keep leaving the milk out, I won't buy it anymore, someone might reply, is that a threat?

I didn't mean it's about someone saying, I'll kill you if you touch my car. I know about the legal implications.

you don't have to do anything unless they hold a gun to your head.

Then you need to work on that.

I always thought people thought they were being threatened. Like "Go clean your room or you will be grounded for a week?" and the child says "Is that a threat?" because his mother threatened to ground him if he doesn't do what she says.

But when someone says, is that a threat? it makes as much sense fpr me to reply, yes, now my turn, was that an interogatory statement? We're going off topic and talking about the styles of talking we're doing.