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Suppose I am having a conversation with someone. I ask a question like "Can we meet at place A?". They reply "It's ok, you can just come to place B". I would much rather prefer to meet at place A, since this person is a stranger, so I wish to meet in public.

How can I word my reply to insist on meeting at place A, without offending this person?

(By the way, if you feel I have mistagged this, please feel free to edit to correct)

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    John Doe, a word to the wise: It's: That's OK, not "It's OK" in that kind of interchange between two people. :)
    – Lambie
    Commented Apr 21, 2018 at 20:04
  • @Lambie ah yes, you're right. I didn't think much of it when writing that, since both versions are almost synonymous when speaking informally
    – John Doe
    Commented Apr 21, 2018 at 20:16
  • I disagree with Lambie, and I feel his/her answer is inappropriately dogmatic ("a word to the wise"!) "It's OK" is perfectly acceptable and appropriate in an exchange of that type.
    – Michael Harvey
    Commented Apr 21, 2018 at 20:35
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    @MichaelHarvey First, it was not an answer. Second, it was not dogmatic. What I am trying to let John Doe know, is that very often when one person says something and the other person comments on it, the commenting person will refer to the first person's comment using the pronoun "that" and not "it". There is a slight difference. But rereading the whole thing, John Doe might want to say: I would much rather meet at place B. So, John Doe, you're good to go.
    – Lambie
    Commented Apr 21, 2018 at 21:28
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    @MichaelHarvey In fact, "That's" would be better in his description than it's. Often, non-English speakers are not acquainted with this issue. I don't think "word to the wise" is dogmatic. It's just shorthand. I even used a smiley.
    – Lambie
    Commented Apr 21, 2018 at 21:33

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This question is as much, if not more, about etiquette and avoiding giving offence as it is about English usage. However, for what it's worth, an appropriately "polite" response would be simply and neutrally worded - "I'd rather meet at place A if you don't mind/if that's all right with you/if that's OK/as long as that's not too much trouble." This last italicised section shows "polite insistence". If they persist in trying to get you to go to place B, then they are being impolite and have forfeited the right to any further politeness on your part.

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    Sure, so his own "i'd much rather meet at B" was correct, too.
    – Lambie
    Commented Apr 21, 2018 at 21:50
  • Lambie, how have any of your remarks here addressed the original question?
    – Michael Harvey
    Commented Apr 21, 2018 at 23:12
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    Which ones? I just made one which did. I agreed with yours, I upvoted it and merely added that the OP's original was also OK. Isn't that allowed? I can remove both, if you like.
    – Lambie
    Commented Apr 21, 2018 at 23:20

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