In The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time I came across an interesting section about figurative speech and the way people with autism interpret language:
"I do not always do what I am told.
And this is because when people tell you what to do it is usually confusing and does not make sense.
For example, people often say 'Be quiet,' but they don't tell you how long to be quiet for. Or you see a sign which says KEEP OFF THE GRASS but it should say KEEP OF THE GRASS AROUND THIS SIGN because there is lots of grass you are allowed to walk on.
Also I don't know what Father means when he says 'Stay out of other people's business' because I do not know what he means by 'other people's business' because I do lots of things with other people, at school and in the shop and on the bus, and his job is going into other people's houses and fixing their boilers and their heating. And all of these things are other people's business.
My therapist understands. When she tells me not to do something she tells me exactly what it is that I am not allowed to do. And I like this" (p. 29).
"I do not always do what I am told.
And this is because when people tell you what to do it is usually confusing and does not make sense.
For example, people often say 'Be quiet,' but they don't tell you how long to be quiet for. Or you see a sign which says KEEP OFF THE GRASS but it should say KEEP OF THE GRASS AROUND THIS SIGN because there is lots of grass you are allowed to walk on.
Also I don't know what Father means when he says 'Stay out of other people's business' because I do not know what he means by 'other people's business' because I do lots of things with other people, at school and in the shop and on the bus, and his job is going into other people's houses and fixing their boilers and their heating. And all of these things are other people's business.
My therapist understands. When she tells me not to do something she tells me exactly what it is that I am not allowed to do. And I like this" (p. 29).
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