Are we saying what people are hearing?

Language is a funny thing, dear reader.  I say that because more and more I'm becoming aware of the language I use every day, and particularly with groups I facilitate.  What that inevitably means for me is that I find myself thinking about and listening for words and phrases I use without even realizing it - I'm paying attention very much to things I hadn't given much thought to in the not-to-distant past (yes, I've always tried to be conscious of how the words I use come across and their effectiveness to convey my message, but I think this is a step further).

For instance, I commented a while ago that I try to avoid labeling things as "easy" or "hard".  Instead, some things may be "more or less challenging" for a particular person or group.  No one wants to come up short on a something "easy" or "simple".  I often use personal examples - for instance, I find it less challenging for me to memorize random, eclectic facts and trivia items.  On the other hand, math has never come easily to me.  Is one better or worse than the other? 

"You all", "ya'll", or simply "team" has replaced "you guys" in inter-gender groups.  While "guys" is perhaps becoming more gender-neutral, it still has a definite masculinity to it.  Granted, this has often brought ripples of chuckles through groups, as they assume I'm adopting some sort of accent for funsies...of course, it does allow me a chance to explain why I use the term. 

I avoid "nice try" at all costs, instead focusing on what was achieved, rather than what was not.  A "good try" indicates that success wasn't found, after all, Yoda pointed out: "Do, or do not. There is no try."  To "try" is to attempt, to give it your best shot but still come up short.  However, if someone climbs 15 feet up a pole, decides that's it and decides to come down, #1, they've made a very empowered decision to choose their own level of challenge rather than compulsory participation, and #2, for a point of comparison, they were at a height roughly higher than a second story floor - and I think that's worth pointing out.  What they did, not what they could have done.

One last example is the language used to describe guidelines or address issues.  I've seen the success of phrasing these in the positive - "let's be sure to walk", "great job holding the rope"; as opposed to "don't run" or "don't hold anything else".  "Keep looking up" is a big one climbing - after all, if I say "don't think about pink elephants!", what's the first thing you think about?  I thought so.  Phrasing in the positive helps people visualize what they can do rather than what they can't and keeps the mindset of doing.
Now, the question is, what does this have to do with anything outside of facilitating?  Well, fortunately that's a ball in your court - how does language affect your work or life?  And don't forget, how something is said can be just as meaningful as what is said...