What would you think of if someone were to say to you...

[plain jane]

"[insert name here] has not been well lately."

 

What comes to mind? I'm trying to figure out the subtleties of the English language and am wondering how others would interpret such a statement.

 

Would you immediately think that person has been sick with something like a cold or flu or would the wording make you think of something more like a flare up of chronic illness or perhaps even something less obvious- like a bout of depression or anxiety or something similar?

[Liz CA]

Could be all of the above and largely depends on the speaker. When I say it, I mean someone has some semi-serious, lingering or recurring health issues.

Clear as mud?

[Denisemomof4]

I would think physical illness or mental. Mental can mean in a mental illness (depression or what ever) or circumstantial, both which can sometimes be worse than physical.

[Mimm]

I would assume an illness, probably more serious than a little cold, but depression or something like that would not immediately come to mind.

[Paige]

It could mean any of those things. If someone said that to me and left it at that, I would assume they didn't want to tell me the details. I would guess what it was based on what I know of that person. I would assume a physical illness-not accident or injury related- unless I knew the person had a serious past issue with mental illness.

[Bassoonaroo]

I would assume health-related. Mental or physical.

 

I would assume that it's a flare up of whatever plagues that person whether it's arthritis, lupus, cancer, depression, drug addiction or whatever. Usually when someone is "not well lately" it's a chronic thing and usually something that won't get better (exception would be something like morning sickness or a treatable condition).

[SonshineLearner]

Somethin' not good!! ;(

[Rosie_0801]

When I say that about myself, I mean I am chronically sleep deprived and haven't budged out of this chair all week.

 

Rosie

[mazakaal]

I would think that it could mean just about anything - cold, flu, chronic illness, depression - but not really injury-related. I wouldn't jump to any conclusion about which of those things was intended unless I knew that the person had a history of some particular illness. Then I would assume that it was a flare up of something they had been dealing with.

[Hedgehog]

I would think that it could mean just about anything - cold, flu, chronic illness, depression - but not really injury-related. I wouldn't jump to any conclusion about which of those things was intended unless I knew that the person had a history of some particular illness. Then I would assume that it was a flare up of something they had been dealing with.

 

:iagree:

[DarlaS]

I would assume an illness, probably more serious than a little cold, but depression or something like that would not immediately come to mind.

 

:iagree:

 

Without more information, that's what I'd think.

[fairfarmhand]

I would assume health-related. Mental or physical.

 

I would assume that it's a flare up of whatever plagues that person whether it's arthritis, lupus, cancer, depression, drug addiction or whatever. Usually when someone is "not well lately" it's a chronic thing and usually something that won't get better (exception would be something like morning sickness or a treatable condition).

this.

[Cheryl in NM]

I say this about myself when I just don't want to be around people as well as when I'm not feeling well, mental or physical.

 

It's my stand by to get out of social situations. I don't use it with my family though, I tell them what's really going on.

[kalanamak]

It would have to be put in context. It could mean an alcoholic who has fallen off the wagon or the "big C", which more people than you think have a superstition about mentioning out loud. ("to name it is to claim it")

[Daisy]

I take it rather generally. It could mean something as simple as they've been hit with every virus that has come down the pike to something more serious.

 

I would assume by that response though that the person sharing didn't feel they could divulge any more information. I would offer my condolences and move the conversation on to something else.

[prairiewindmomma]

I generally respond with, "I'm so sorry to hear that." If I intone it correctly, if someone wants to share more, they feel free to, otherwise they know that I care and they can maintain their privacy.

[AuntieM]

If I say it about myself, it's one of those times when I've had a couple of things come in succession, ie, a bad allergy flare up followed by bronchitis followed by digestive woes. Or my blood iron level is down so I'm super tired but also taking supplements which screw up my intestinal functions. Something that has left me felling crummy for weeks that is just complicated to explain, kwim?

 

I do confess though, when I hear that expressed about someone else, in vague terms with no follow up ("She's been...ill" vs "She's been ill, you know she has terrible seasonal allergies"), I do tend to think that there's an emotional component to the illness.