Contradictions --- I just love it when people say "I don't mean to be rude", because it almost automatically means that what they are about to say or do is in reality very rude and/or offensive to the other party. In Mexico we have the Spanish version "Con todo respeto..." (with all due respect) and it normally is a signal that what comes next is anything but respectfull. Would this type of phrases be considered as some sort of buffers to indicate there is certain acknowledgement of the other party or at least an intention to "apologize" before saying something completely out of line and breaching certain protocols?

Source author: Desirée Colomé Menéndez dcolome@sre.gob.mx