Learn English – You should know that […]

ambiguityemphasismeaning

I believe "You should know that…" is commonly understood as something along the lines of: "It would be good for you to know that …".

However, in a written sentence it's impossible to know where to put the emphasis:

  • You should know that …
    • It would be good for you to know that …
  • You should know that …
    • You of all people should know that …
  • You should know that …
    • You should know by now that …

In a mail, a comment online or some other informal way of communicating, is it clear that the sentence is a "friendly" one, or might the receiver think you're being hostile?


It's inspired by this comment by the way. I realized afterwards that it could be taken almost like an insult.

Best Answer

The reader's interpretation could depend on the context.

Some alternatives which are less potentially ambiguous:

  • I should tell you that...

  • Be aware that...

  • Be advised that...

  • Keep in mind that... (This is perhaps even more polite because it pretends that the reader already knew whatever it is, so you aren't faulting them for not knowing.)