Wrap Up

Discussion

At the beginning of this chapter, you placed yourself on a scale similar to the one below.

Read the descriptions in the boxes. Count how many points are most true for Gilles, Ivan, and Claire.

He/She uses the same words and expressions with everyone and doesn't adjust for relationships. He/She uses fewer words and expressions to be clearly and easily understood. If there is a problem or a conflict, he/she says exactly what he/she feels and means.

He/She chooses different words and expressions depending on relationships. He/She uses more words and phrases to be calm and not misunderstood. He/She expects people to “read between the lines” in his/her tone or body language. If there is a conflict, he/she asks a third person to help talk about it

Place G (Gilles) and I (Ivan) on the scale. Discuss any patterns you see in how these men usually speak or write.

Place C (Claire) on the scale.

Discuss if Claire’s way of speaking and writing matches the others.
Does gender or age make any difference?
Does status (such as being in charge) make any difference?
Does location (such as being on private property or in a public space) make any difference?
Does situation (such as being face to face or using social media) make any difference?
Share your opinion about possible reasons for speech patterns.

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