Am I being thick? Does it make a difference whether Kate said 'she's gone' or 'they've taken her'

Question

Can someone explain please?

Fluffy: I just had a look at your Qs and As, you're none too bright yourself. Arsehole.

Answer 1

"She's gone" is a normal reaction for not knowing what happened to the missing person. It leaves open all possible scenarios as to why she's gone and simply states the obvious physical absence of the child. While very definitive, it simply states a fact, but does not point in a specific direction and assumes nothing.

"They've taken her" immediately narrows the absence down to one scenario - she's been abducted. This also immediately implies that the discovering person knew that "They" were likely, or even planned, to take them. It also implies that the person knew who "They" were or had at least some knowledge of them and their interest in the missing person. This statement is so definitive as to point to one action and even assume the identity of who performed it.

Had it been stated as "Someone must have taken her", it still would have pointed in a direction, but it still leaves considerable doubt as to whether or not it really happened and sheds absolutely no light as to who it could have been if anybody. Even less definitive would have been: "Someone might have taken her".

Yes, it does make a difference how you phrase your view of a situation. Just like how you react can many times tell a lot about whether something is a surprise to you. And while people react to stress in different ways, most people will still come across with a total lack of direction when a situation is a total surprise.

No, you're not thick. Sometimes we don't see all the surrounding information that isn't spoken. The closer you are to a situation, the less likely you are to remain objective and therefore miss sometimes obvious clues.

Answer 2

I suppose it could make a difference, but according to some recent reports Kate McCann said both -""she's gone" as a first reaction, and "they've taken her" as she ran out of the apartment (as reported by the nanny).
Looking at it impartially, and without knowing Kate McCann it does seem that the second phrase would be an unnatural thing to say on first discovering your child was missing. On the other hand, if that's what she was screaming when she ran out, it's a perfectly logical thing to say if you had just seen that the shutters were forced open.
"They've taken her" may have been the first thing anyone has reported hearing Kate McCann say, but that doesn't necessarily make it her first reaction.
Who really knows exactly when she said what?

Answer 3

Madeleine could have woken up in the night and wandered off. If your daughter disappears from an UNLOCKED room why would you automatically assume that someone had taken her, which is the least likely scenario. Instead of saying "Madeleines gone" which was the truth, why say "they've taken her" It is as if you already have the reason for her disappearance ready and prepared. It just isn't the correct thing to say. Who are "they"? It just doesn't make sense and points to a prepared reaction.

Answer 4

I say not necessarily - make a difference, that is.

People have spent almost 5 months coolly analysing the words reportedly uttered by Kate McCann in a moment of panic and incomprehending anguish. Who can say if even she knows now or knew then what she meant by her words?

Answer 5

Well at least she yelled something. Her husband himself said when he checked a half hour before Madeleine was not in her bed and he assumed she was in the bathroom or something. What would you have done if you checked your child and they were not in their bed? Assume they were in the bathroom and just go on back to your night out with friends? Kate at least walked to the bedroom opened the door and looked in her childs bed.

Answer 6

No, in a state of panic it is almost impossible to make any kind of intelligible sense.
Far too much is made of this quote from people who should know better but wish to put an evil slant on everything in order to slur the McCanns.

Answer 7

"They've taken her" sounds as though it was already planned to blame someone else. It's just odd wording . The first instinct would have been to look about and call her name, not have a sudden outburst.
" She's gone" implies worry and shock and a mother's worst fear.

Answer 8

"They've taken her" implies she has an idea who has taken her, and has ruled out the wandered off idea, which would be your first thought in a resort as safe as Gerry and Kate keep telling us it was.
"she's gone" is a much more normal reaction.

They've taken her also implies to some, it was the first part of the plan to make it LOOK like an abduction, when it wasnt.

Answer 9

i really don't think it makes a difference. If you say "she's gone" or "they've taken her" - anybody under that much duress would be talking crazy anyway.

seems like "somebody took her" would make more sense than "they've taken her" - but again, that's more than likely a bunch of press garbage

Answer 10

saying ; 'shes gone' indicates youve found your child isnt in bed or the room you left her but dont know why.

saying ; 'theyve taken her' indicates oyuve found your child missing but youve been waiting for the moment for someone to snatch her and now its happened.

there is a big difference as people are saying that by the phrase theyve taken her kate mccann was setting up the abduction theory from the start to cover up something else.

but once again its all speculation seeing as no one involved is allowed to talk