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It's an idiom that can imply entirely different meaning depending on its inflection, though, which obviously translates terribly over text. "I'm all ears" said
by dceddia 10y ago
It's an idiom that can imply entirely different meaning depending on its inflection, though, which obviously translates terribly over text.
"I'm all ears" said in a positive tone can be "Absolutely I agree, I'd love to hear your ideas".
"I'm all ears" in a negative tone is more like "Prove it. I don't think you have any ideas to this unsolvable problem."
All a matter of interpretation, I suppose :) (and fwiw I don't know whether the author meant it in a positive or negative tone)
- allannienhuis 10y agoGreat point. I didn't consider that the phrase could be interpreted in an criticising sense, but of course your right that verbally it can be done that way. Writing is hard. :P
- fiatjaf 10y agoWhat I was claiming in my answer was that it was done in a negative sense. I understood it that way because the comment lacked other indications of genuine interest in the matter, which would soften the lack of inflection.