[Grammar] Don't/Don't you point at him

[adarsh01]

Hi,


What is the difference between

1)Don't point at him.

and

2) Don't you point at him.


Which one is police.

Could someone please suggest

Thanks,
Adarsh

 

[Tdol]

The meaning is the same. The second is angrier. If you want to be polite, use something like Would you mind not pointing at him? or Could I ask you not to point at him, etc.

 

[philo2009]

As Tdol has indicated, the second is a very indignant, mainly conversational usage that is, I suspect, rather more common in BrE than in AmE.

 

[Tdol]

Thanks, Philo- I wasn't aware it was less common in AmE.

 

[BobSmith]

[AmE - not a teacher]

This construction smacks of what a mother might say to a petulant child

Don't you point at me!