Saturday, June 2, 2018

Intrusion of the Pronoun "I" in a Statement


Pronouns are powerful.

 Pronouns are instinctive. 

Pronouns are "pre thought", in that, we do not pause to consider, "Was I alone, or was I with someone else?  Should I use "I" or should I use "we" in this sentence?"

We know what to use, without having to think it through. 

We have been using the pronoun "I" millions of times. When a human does the same thing millions of times, we can trust the accuracy. 

Pronouns don't lie.  They guide lie detection.  

In business letters, they often begin with the pronoun "we" as employees are addressed.

If you see a sudden change to "I", you should take notice of the increase in importance:  

the author is suddenly psychologically entering the statement; that is, he is committing himself to these words.  The topic is increased in importance. 

A supervisor might send an email: 

"We recognize your hard work and we compliment you on your dedication. I need your commitment to accuracy. We must produce, as a team..."

Did the author get in trouble with his or her superior about accuracy?  

Whatever it is, the change indicates an "intrusion" of importance. 

You can spot examples everywhere.  Look in the sports' pages when your favorite team has a losing streak and listen what the athletes and the coaches say.

Humans love to "crowd source" guilt. "Mom, everyone was doing it" is a response to minimize guilt due to the crowd.

The need to psychologically "hide" in a crowd must be corrected during childhood otherwise you'll see it in adulthood.

When one is fired from a job and claims, 

"this is not an attack on me, but it is an attack on all ______" Here, you can fill in the blank. 

This subject has guilt and is projecting his or her need to hide in a crowd, whether it be "everyone else" or race, or sex, or ethnicity or religion, etc.  It is a signal of low personal responsibility and a psychological need to water down guilt by spreading it to all. 



Context is Key 

When we speak of something common or repetitive, we often use the distancing language of the second person, "you."  This can be appropriate distancing language dependent upon context. 

"If you eat too much candy, you're going to get sick" is the universal "you" in place. 

This is common to all.  Therefore, the second person "you" is distancing language which is deemed "appropriate." 

Repetition

Repetition can produce the pronoun "you" in a subject, even when something is not universal nor even common to others, but unique, howbeit, repeated very often.

"When you bring up your shoulder, you have power in the swing..." 

Tiger Woods had practiced his golf swing countless thousands and thousands of times since he was a boy.  Few, if any,  obtained his level of excellence, yet the repetition produces the pronoun "you" in elite athletes.  



Here is another context: Missing Child, Baby Ayla, Waterville, Maine 

Subject:  Phoebe DiPietro, paternal grandmother.,  

Missing grandchild, allegedly kidnapped from your home, yet, there is no trace DNA, no awakening of the people there, failed polygraphs and the subject answering "yes or no" questions about hearing a noise that night only to later to have been found:  the subject was not in the home that night.  It is interesting that in the video as she lies about being home, hearing noise and a party, when she says "no", she closes her eyes and looks down.  

Regarding the above kidnapping of a child: 

We do not classify the above experience as common, universal, or even oft repeated for any subject.  

The subject said: 

"When you're expecting a call from the Sheriff 's Department about your granddaughter and someone is casing your house..."

This is not a universal, common experience, nor has she had her grandchild kidnapped repeatedly.  It is not an experience repeated many times.  This is an example of distancing language that is produced due to deception. The subject knew her house was not cased and the Sheriff is not going to call her about ransom demands.  

Linguistic Empathy 

As we consider context, we can enter (artificially) the language of the subject seeking to even predict what one might say.

The change from "you" to "I" is strong and it is personal. 

Here is an example: 

"When you think about what needs to be done, the President can just say, 'Hey, I was wrong."  

This statement is about an error in policy.  The subject is indicating a connection and enters into a first person speculation of what might be said.  If this happens, we expect the pronoun "I" to be used routinely and...

in context. 

What is the context?

If it is an error in policy, or something along this line, we might see this entry of the pronoun "I" in the statement.

What if the context is of a more serious nature?  What if it is a most sensitive topic?

We should consider the possibility of a linguistic projection.  

The following was reported in media and brought a strong reaction from the public. 

At the time of President Clinton's impeachment, the argument moved from suborning perjury to "its just sex." 

This is an argument between something uncommon (seeking to cause another to lie under oath), to something that is very common, particularly among high powered men. 

The context also includes age, sophistication and authoritative exploitation:  The most powerful male in the world, and a young 21 year old female. 

Although this is not the legal context, it is discussed below.  

What do you make of the change of pronoun? 


TAPPER: I never made light of it at the time, and I never made light of Bill Clinton's ... committing perjury, and I understand why people at the time were upset. I understood it then, but now, having kids, I understand it much more because it's a horrible example because he's setting the example of somebody who uses women for his own personal –


We note the use of "never", which although not reliable, is used as there is no specific event contextually dated.  

We note the explanation as to "why" (hina clause) the subject has a different understanding.  

He now condemns Bill Clinton for "using women" of which his sentence is finished by another subject, indicating agreement. 
TODD: His own personal pleasure.

We should consider this very sensitive as "using women for his own pleasure" is considered "unnecessary moralizing language."  He is not countering protestors who are advocating for the use of women for their own pleasure.  This is often a sign of possible projection, or it is to align oneself to a particular position to appear moral.  Consider the #metoo environment as a greater context in which this statement exists . 
TAPPER: Pleasure, right. And from Monica Lewinsky's public statements, you sense that she's just now kind of coming to grips with the relevance of her story to the #metoo movement.

First note the affirmation of the word "pleasure" with the word "right."  

please note the subject does not state that he, himself senses, but uses the distancing of "you sense."  
TODD: It galls me that the former president hasn't even simply apologized to her for ruining her life.

Note the pronoun "me" as the subject is "galled" as they are in agreement, yet may be competing to see which one is the more offended.  It goes from being "galled" to mental health by the subject: 
TAPPER: It's crazy. It's crazy.

The subject "Todd" experienced "gall" and it was to "me" (personal).  This subject, "Tapper" says "its" crazy, with repetition. This moves from "affronted, impertinence, insolence, audacity" etc, to illogic ("crazy, crazy") 

This is a competition to condemn that which is not in need of strengthening. What is wrong is understood, yet we follow their pronouns, even within the competition of who is most offended, who is most moral, who has the most "feelings", etc: 
TODD: Her life is never the same. He ruined it; he got to move on.

This subject now moves to the destruction of life. What was exploitative, yet legal (consensual) is now elevated, competitively, to ruination of life. 

How can Tapper top that? What is worse than "He ruined" her life? 
TAPPER: Oh yeah, he's a multi-millionaire.

The subject introduces money.  

In the escalation of condemnation of Bill Clinton, Tapper introduced the financial status of the exploiter.  

The audience as well as analysts, should consider this to be something very important to Tapper. 

Context:  Bill Clinton has lots of money. 
TODD: I've never understood, never understood why he couldn't simply apologize to her ... He owes it to her.

Note he does not ask Tapper what Bill Clinton's financial status has to do with either his sexual activity, perjury/deception, or lack of apology have to do with money.  However, in the competition, even as they seek to outdo each other in moral outrage, there is a unity.  He uses the words, "He owes it to her." 

What produced this sentence?
Contextually, it followed "multi millionaire."

What comes next is a change of pronoun that should not be missed: 

TAPPER: I took advantage of you when you were a child, essentially.

Let's note the escalation:

1.  Having never made "light of"; that is, thought as less relevant than other topics is in the negative (what he never did) 

2. Next, Tapper went to Monica "kind of coming to grips" which is processing information from many years ago, of a consensual relationship.  

3.  From there, Tapper responded to the "gall" of Todd with "crazy" (illogical, mental health) with repetition 

4. Then he went to Bill Clinton's finances 

5.  As this continued, he now is at pedophilia, with the context of both sex and deception. 

The analyst should now consider that the allegation or "outrage" is that Monica Lewinsky, in the sexual relationship and subsequence deception, was a "child", which he qualifies as "essentially."  

This is now the "lesser context"; that is, within his own sentence.

Consider the following question:

Q. What topic (context) produced the subject's injection of the pronoun "I" in his statement? 

took advantage of you when you were a child, essentially.

A.  The "advantage" of sex/deception of a child, essentially. 

We did not see linguistic empathy previously, but all condemnation. 

This word, "child" produced the intrusion of personal language by the subject, using the pronoun "I."

This is not expected. 

This is not the baseline of pattern. 

As the two subjects jockey for position, competing under the umbrella of agreement, what did the intrusion of "I" and "child" produce from Todd? 

This should not be missed: 

TODD: She cannot live a normal life because of his, whatever you want to call it. Whatever it is.

The word "normal" is always flagged in Statement Analysis. When it is used, we often look to the opposite. 


"You're accusing me of molesting a client? I'm a normal male."

When someone uses the word "normal", it is often an indication that either the subject, or someone else, has considered the subject "not normal" at some point in life. 

Here, "millionaire" followed with "owe" and
"child" followed by "normal."

Tapper's use of the pronoun "I" is very concerning. 

He continues to insult the former President: 

TAPPER: His crude needs.

Tapper used the word "crude" (the context is oral sex) 

Todd responded to "crude needs" with: 
TODD: Yeah, his carnal needs, and he ruined a woman's life.

He did not parrot "crude" (competition noted) but used "carnal", which is less insulting regarding the sexual act itself and the President, but then repeated his "highest outrage" with "ruined" here.

Please note that it is not "he ruined Monica Lewinsky's life" but "a" and "woman."

This is to distance himself from condemnation of oral sex (it is not "crude" but "carnal") and it seeks to generalize Monica into being "a woman", so as to curry the favorable response of all women.

Analysis Conclusion:

Both show unnecessary sermonizing (or commonly called "virtue signaling") and both seek to, while not offending the other, still outdo the other in offense. 

Todd has shown "positive linguistic disposition" towards oral sex (by minimizing "crude" to "carnal", which is neutral, while "crude" is unrefined, blunt, etc. 

It is Jake Tapper's statement where the pronoun "I" intrudes into his sentence, increasing the importance and the commitment to this. 

The most difficult unanswered question is:

Why?

This should lead investigators to explore possible child abuse, including child pornography.  

It may be produced by the extremity of competition, but even so, this is not language we expect, in context of "child" and "sex" in the interview. 

It is also not found in any other aspect (lesser context).

When might something like this be appropriate?

Example:  investigators who are tasked with analysis of child pornography have short rotations.  It is psychologically traumatizing for them.  In most child pornography investigations, the determination of the age of the actors is generally limited to those specially trained accompanied by psychological support.  Of these, this type of linguistic empathy might be found. 

If one specializes in child abuse investigations, or an investigator who has many interviews with offenders, could speculate what one might say in this manner, due to the desensitization of having covered many of these (context).

Forensic Pediatricians who routinely deal with child abuse cases may, through much repetition and even the interviewing (some do) of pedophiles, this form of linguistic empathy may be evident. 

It may be that the subject has covered many such cases, which produced this intrusion. Many interviews by him with offenders, for example, could cause the linguistic empathy of the pronoun "I" in a statement. 

Yet, Monica Lewinsky was not a "child" at the time, and it is to accuse  President Clinton of pedophilia in spite of qualifying with the word "essential."   

It leads to more questions. 

Did the subject experience sexual relations with a young woman of whom he now considers a "child"?  

This is remote, but the question that is raised by the sudden intrusion of the pronoun "I" means, psychologically, he is "in" this statement. This is an example of "linguistic commitment" to the specific topic. 

Could it be only the folly of moral supremacist competition?   


There is no linguistic empathy offered until the topic includes the word "child.

This is a powerful intrusion that was not part of the other topics.  

This is a linguistic signal for investigators and/or analysts, that more information is needed. 

The natural repulsion of this topic (child + sex) would preclude most from using the pronoun "I." 

As I explored possible causes of it, I remain alarmed. This is the type of statement that often causes investigators to say,

"check his computer." 

He accused President Trump of pedophilia by context. 
He did so by invoking the powerful pronoun "I" in his statement.  

When most people are thinking, "What would I say in this situation?", they are entering linguistic empathy via "the expected."

Jake Tapper changed the context from young adult to child. 

This caused him to psychologically enter the statement. 













37 comments:

habundia said...

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/madeleine-mccann-parents-kate-gerry-online-abuse-twitter-trolls-tenth-anniversary-10-years-on-social-a7715581.html

John Mc Gowan said...

OT:

Mum Finds 'Spooky' Snap Of Herself Asleep Taken While She Was Home Alone

A mum says she was left 'terrified' after scrolling through her camera roll and finding a photo of herself fast asleep.

Now, in itself, that might not sound so scary. However, Debra Demetriou says she was home alone with the doors locked when the snap was taken - cue the X-Files theme tune.

More:

http://www.ladbible.com/community/weird-mum-finds-spooky-snap-of-her-asleep-taken-while-she-was-home-alone-20180604

Matilda said...

In that context, isn't Tapper just entering into the language of Bill clinton and what he thinks Clinton should say in an apology? I interpreted that statement - "I took advantage of you when you were a child, essentially" - as Tapper suggesting what Clinton should say to Monica Lewinsky, not Tapper speaking from memory.

Statement Analysis Blog said...



MPJune 4, 2018 at 12:50 PM
Habundia

I think the change to the pronoun "you" is due to the fact that Peter is quoting the drug store clerk who is speaking to him here.





ima.grandma said...
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Statement Analysis Blog said...

For those of you not on Twitter, I sometimes share lessons

Here is an example of “Bloviating.”

Our European friends see America often thru the lens of CNN.

They’ve paid many airports to force feed this

Peter

https://youtu.be/oE7MZhSFF8g

ima.grandma said...
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John Mc Gowan said...

OT Update:

Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to rape charges

Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein Tuesday pleaded not guilty to rape and criminal sex act charges in a New York City courtroom.

Weinstein, 66, wearing a dark blue suit, white shirt and dark tie, answered "not guilty" in a soft voice when asked how he pleaded to the indictment by a Manhattan grand jury last week.

Weinstein was accompanied by defense attorney Benjamin Brafman and was surrounded by court officers during the brief hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court and answered a series of questions from the judge.

"He intends to vigorously defend this case," Brafman said.

The courtroom was filled to capacity. Lawyer Gloria Allred, who represents several of Weinstein's accusers, sat in the second row.

Brafman brought up in court the federal civil lawsuit filed last week by three women, including Melissa Thompson, who claims Weinstein raped her in a New York City hotel room in 2011 and has accused Brafman of tricking her into relinquishing evidence of the alleged attack.

Brafman denied knowing Thompson, defended his integrity and assured prosecutors he would "never discourage anyone from cooperating with the district attorney’s office."

Brafman said Weinstein is aware of the story and does not believe there is a potential conflict.

Prosecutor Joan Illuzzi said she accepts Brafman’s explanation but asked Supreme Court Justice James Burke to question Weinstein about it, which he did.

I'm satisfied," Burke said of Weinstein's comprehension of the potential for any conflicts.

Weinstein's next court date is scheduled for Sept. 20. He remains free on $1 million bail and his travel is restricted to New York and Connecticut.

In the meantime, Brafman said he is considering making a motion to split the case in two. He said he hasn’t made up his mind but wanted to consider whether the rape and criminal sex act charges "may require two separate trials." He also said the case presents "unique issues" that may be the subject of his future motions, but declined to elaborate.

Brafman and Illuzzi briefly sparred over their public statements about the case.

"Mr. Weinstein is presumed innocent," Brafman said as he took issue with how the Manhattan district attorney's office has slammed his criticism of the accusers.

"However reprehensible the crime of rape may be, it is equally reprehensible to falsely accuse someone of rape," Brafman said.

Illuzzi reminded the Burke that neither her or Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. spoke on the courthouse steps of how Weinstein did not create the "casting couch."

Brafman promised, "I will never again use the term 'casting couch.'"

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/harvey-weinstein-pleads-not-guilty-rape-charges-143103818--abc-news-topstories.html

ima.grandma said...
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C5H11ONO said...

Excellent read as always!
Off topic: John Anglin, one of the last escapees to escApe from Alcatraz supposedly wrote a letter stating he, his brother and Frank Morris survived.
Article is beliw which contains photo of letter. They quoted some paragraph but not entire letter? But the entire letter is visible. Would SA determine veracity on tbe part of the writer?http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5305019/Disputed-letter-suggests-Alcatraz-escapee-ALIVE.html


ima.grandma said...
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Anonymous said...

Kyron Horman's mother, Desiree Young, says to "stay tuned..." She says something big is coming.
-Kitt
http://www.kptv.com/story/38344001/kyron-hormans-mother-promises-something-big-is-coming-eight-years-after-boys-disappearance

Statement Analysis Blog said...

Thanks, Kitt; please update when news hits.

For those of you following the Mueller investigation, this is interesting from VDH. I continue to assert that Andrew McCabe, after many years of loyal service to the FBI, will testify against James Comey.

This view is always with a historical reference point:

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/06/obama-trump-administrations-elites-value-style-over-substance/

@peterfhyatt

Statement Analysis Blog said...

Two short video clips from a larger Q and A session on various topics including religion as ideology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv6wMyhcSoQ&t=512s

@peterfhyatt

Statement Analysis Blog said...

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/06/obama-trump-administrations-elites-value-style-over-substance/


A great read about deception, acceptance and how far guilt projects.

Anonymous said...

Add this to your accuracy list

Looks like he’s gonna testify against Comey

https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/05/politics/andrew-mccabe-immunity-grassley/index.html

ima.grandma said...
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ima.grandma said...
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ima.grandma said...
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ima.grandma said...
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General P. Malaise said...

McCabe looking for immunity to testify. why would he need immunity?

ima.grandma said...
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LuciaD said...

Exactly.

ima.grandma said...
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Anonymous said...

Dredging up a 20 yr old misdemeanor and never acknowledging the conservative's crime against humanity against the people of Iraq that started world turmoil 15 yrs ago.

NicW said...

Another off topic: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/he-sounded-baffled-on-tv-about-a-body-found-in-a-creek-police-say-he-knew-it-was-his-mom/ar-AAyhDDg?li=BBnb7Kz

A man was interviewed about a female body found in a creek near his house. She was later identified as his mother and he has since been charged with criminal homicide.

Anonymous said...

OT

Emily Glass found dead. Appears a suicide.


https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2018-06-08/woman-fatally-shot-at-kansas-home-of-missing-boy-found-dead

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A woman who led an investigator to the decomposing remains of her 5-year-old stepson was found dead early Friday in a Wichita home, police said.

Wichita police Officer Charley Davidson said during a press briefing that officers responded around 1:40 a.m. after Jonathan Hernandez called to report finding his former girlfriend, Emily Glass, dead of a gunshot wound upon arriving at his Wichita home.

Davidson said officers found a rifle at her feet and three suicide notes in the home. Hernandez said in a statement that Glass killed herself. Davidson said the official cause of death will be determined by the coroner's office.

Glass, 27, reported Hernandez' son, Lucas, missing on Feb. 17. She told police she last saw Lucas playing in his bedroom before she took a shower and fell asleep.

On May 24, Glass led David Marshburn, a private investigator hired by Lucas' father, to the boy's decaying remains. The boy's body had been hidden under a culvert bridge about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Wichita and covered with debris.

Police arrested Glass on suspicion of lying to authorities, but she was freed. Prosecutors never charged her in Lucas' death, but said she was a person of interest.

It's unclear if an autopsy and toxicology examination will determine how Lucas died, because of the body's decayed condition.

In an episode of the podcast "Crime Stories with Nancy Grace" that aired Monday, Hernandez said he no longer believes or supports Glass and that he is "a bit confused by" her release from jail. Hernandez also told Grace that Glass told the private investigator that she panicked after she found Lucas dead in his bed one evening or morning. The podcast included part of a recording captured by Marshburn in which Glass said in a shaky voice: "I did Lucas so wrong. I did him wrong."

The Wichita Eagle reports that Hernandez and Lucas' mother, Jamie Taylor-Orr, said in a statement released Friday that Glass "chose to end her own life."

Nic said...

Re Kitt's link to the Kyron Horman's case above:

http://www.kptv.com/story/38344001/kyron-hormans-mother-promises-something-big-is-coming-eight-years-after-boys-disappearance

In 2016, Terri Horman gave her first public interviews and said she assisted in the investigation and blamed failed polygraph tests on a hearing impairment.

Peter, Is there a statement analysis lesson on/around did not "see" or "hear" when the undeniable fact is [they] were "there" to see and/or hear? More specifically in this instance, my understanding is that anyone being subjected to a polygraph test is given the questions beforehand. Is this correct? If so, then what does a "hearing impairment" have to do with her comprehension when she had been given the opportunity to "see" the questions first and did not raise the need for clarification?

Analysis aside, my observation has been, if [they] are blaming [it] on someone/thing else, (in the first instance,) and then they blame it on one of the five senses because I cannot "prove" that they did not "see" or "hear" [fill in the blank], ergo, end of discussion -- no accepting responsibility, no "I'm sorry", then I *know* I am face-to-face with a liar.

Nic said...

On the topic of distancing:

http://www.kptv.com/story/31011122/terri-horman-to-people-magazine-i-did-everything-i-could-to-help-investigation

[snip]
Terri Horman quickly became a focus of the investigation into Kyron Horman's case, but police have not made any arrests since starting the search for Kyron Horman on June 4, 2010.

[...]

"I have been in his life since he was three days old. He is every bit my son, and anybody who's been around he and I will tell you that's how it is," Terri Horman said.

"When police started questioning us, they took into account more what Kaine [Horman] and Desiree [Young] were saying as opposed to what I was saying, and I spent my days with him."

[end snip]


Story telling? i.e., "that's how it is, not how it was?

Nic said...
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Nic said...

Further to the above link, is Terri "victim" blaming? Was the target that day Kaine and not Kyron? The quote isn't available directly but People report her using the words "personal vendetta" followed in context of "harming" Kyron and Kaine.


[snip]

Terri Horman also said an alleged plot to hire someone to murder her ex-husband, Kaine Horman, was made up by someone with a personal vendetta against her.

"The answer is no. I never harmed my son. I never wanted to harm my husband," Terri Horman said.

Need to persuade - much justification follows the (non reliable statement) "The answer is no."

The word, "never" is not reliable. It doesn't mean didn't.

That which is stated in the negative is sensitive ("I never wanted to"). She doesn't say she didn't. She says that she "never" (unreliable) wanted to.

"My husband" is nameless and is a poor social introduction indicative of bad relations. Eight years later, Kyron's continued disappearance and a divorce, it is expected; however, contextually speaking, in this statement, neither does Kyron.

Nic said...

correction:

"My husband" is nameless and is a poor social introduction indicative of bad relations. Eight years later, Kyron's continued disappearance and a divorce, it is expected; however, contextually speaking and taking into consideration time spent together before Kyron's disappearance and since, in this statement, so is Kyron's name omitted. This leads me to believe she was on bad terms with them both. I would love to see the transcript of this interview. If she in fact introduced the words "personal vendetta", i.e., she did not parrot them back, then IMO, [it] was personal.

Nic said...

re distancing above:

""I have been in his life since he was three days old. He is every bit my son, and anybody who's been around he and I will tell you that's how it is," Terri Horman said."

There is no unity. Terri does not say "who's been around us". She says, "he and I".

"and I spent my days with him"

More distancing. Terri does not say, "WE spent OUR days together." (unity/shared) She says she spent HER days WITH him, emphasis "and" (very sensitive to her).

"with" shows much distancing from Kyron. i.e., I went shopping with Ann and Carole to buy groceries, versus We went grocery shopping.

This woman did not enjoy taking care of Kyron.