I tend to be annoyed when people reply with the interjection "no comment"! What do they mean?

 

To get a better idea about the subject, I searched the net and I found this :

 

When dealing with hostile or negative questions, �No comment� is the last thing you should say. Try one of these five phrases instead.

1. That�s not what I�m here to discuss.
2. No (if asked a direct question that is untrue).
3. I don�t have anything to say.
4. I �m unable to talk about that .
   
5. Smile, and nothing.
   

Any other ideas , to replace the �no comment" phrase??

Edit: Well, Thank you so much both Alex and Jayho! and DOUGLAS ;Your explanations have been very useful.

Hi Mariethe

 

Yes, I agree with Almaz.  It is a typical journalistic response and not widely used in everyday conversation.

 

In my experience, No comment is mostly used in these situations:

- by the Police when being interviewed by the media for high profile cases

- by politicians, who have been caught red-handed claiming for an entitlement that they are not entitled to, or doing something totally inappropriate, when confronted by the media

- by leading organisations or members of the community confronted by the media for a wrong doing

- by high profile celebrities confronted by the media on personal issues such as marital issues, drugs, and domestic violence

 

If it�s used in everyday speech, it is used jokingly when someone asks a question that is too personal, such as invasive questions about one�s new love life.

 

Cheers

 

Jayho

 

 

Actually, back when I when I got some (military) training for addressing the media. The were adamant that we don �t use phrase at all because of the negative connotations that have come to be tied to it (e.g. not being open to the public).  

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