Talking Up Close By Deborah Tannen

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?!

How do they keep this conversation going?

What does Tannen mean by “status differences”? Why is it impossible to determine what a way of speaking “really means”? 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.

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