Do "Look" and "Listen" mean the same thing ?

[fruitninja]

As far as I know, "Look" and "Listen" are both used to get others to pay attention to what you are saying. So, in a specific circumstance, can I use either one of them. And why do people use one and not the other word? (dialectal or something?)

 

[andrewg927]

What specific circumstance? Without the specifics, it is hard to know whether you can use either.

 

[J&K Tutoring]

Please do not pick up either of these bad (and quite rude) habits! I find they are used mostly by people who have grown used to others not listening to them, and not listening to them because they have nothing to say worth listening to.

I already am listening. Don't tell me what to do! If someone tells me to listen, I am most inclined to purposely tune them out. Unless the person you are talking to needs your direct instruction (an unruly child), they will not give you a more attentive listen if told to do so.

'Look' is a bit less rude, but still in the category of meaningless filler. If you want to suggest to a listener that they think about something in a different way (your way), then say something like, "Think about it this way:"

 

[andrewg927]

In a group of friends who are not listening to me, I would most likely say "listen, listen" to get their attention. There is nothing rude about that. Or I could use "Look. She's walking over here" to get the listener pay attention to her. The words themselves are not rude. It all depends on how you use them.