Talking Up Close

1. Talking Up Close By Deborah Tannen

2. Deborah Tannen (1945) • was born in Brooklyn, NY • received her Ph.D. in linguistics from UC Berkeley • is University Professor and Professor of Linguistics at Georgetown University • is the world’s most famous linguist. • is best known as the author of You Just Don’t Understand:Women and Men in conversation, which was on the New York Times best seller list.

3. Talking Up Close • She mentions about using conversations to connect other people in many styles. She also gives several examples to define and explain her ideas.

4. Male : Female • Male speakers are more likely to be confrontational by arguing and taking opposing stands. • While, females are more likely to avoid confrontation by supporting, and making suggestions.

5. In many cultures, argument can make connection to others • German speakers who like to discuss about combative topic such as politics and religion. • Example, German students try to show their friendliness to American students by provoking heated arguments about American foreign policy.

6. In many cultures, argument can make connection to others • Greek speakers routinely disagree when they actually agree. George: I’ve got burgundy shoes, but the belt’s got black in it too. Kakava: Does it have black in it? Let me see. George: It has a stripe in it that’s kind of brown. Alkis: Drak brown. George: It’s kind of dark. Alkis: It’s tobacco-colored, dummy! It goes with everything. George: Tobacco-colored? What are you talking about?! Are you color-blind?!

7. How do they keep this conversation going?

8. Why is it impossible to determine what a way of speaking “really means”? What does Tannen mean by “status differences”? The discussion of fighting, silence, and interrupting is intended to show that it is impossible to determine what a way of speaking “really means” because that same way of speaking can create either status differences or connection, or both in the same time.

9. Thank You