With The Odyssey doing big business this summer, how do you like your mythology, the Greek version or the Roman? Zeus vs Jupiter, Ares vs Mars, Aphrodite vs Venus, and so on?
Share why if you wish.
Category: Language
What Language Do You Wish You Knew?
Is there a language that you wish you could speak? One that always sounded interesting to you, but you never learned?
Share why if you wish.
Which Phrase Is Overused?
Is there a phrase that is regularly said that you think is overused? Which one, and in what context do you hear it most?
Share why if you wish.
What Makes A Meaningful Conversation?
A thoughtful, meaningful conversation is remarkably fulfilling. What are the traits that contribute to a great verbal exchange?
In some ways, we evolved in order to communicate. Our voice is capable of an incredible range of sounds that we have turned into speech. Our brains then became larger so that we could store our spoken, and then eventually written, languages.
In addition, living in groups no doubt made our ancestors safer and more effective in tasks. Coordinating members of the group would have been necessary for success in hunting and gathering. A spoken language also meant knowledge could be passed not only between individuals, but from generation to generation as well.
So speech is central to the very nature of who we are as a species. It is no wonder, then, why conversation is so enjoyable. A good conversation between individuals or within a group is unlike anything else in our experience. It can be funny, thought-provoking, and even challenging, and can make time seem to fly by in an instant.
In fact, it is so important that you sometimes hear it discussed in ways you don’t expect. An artist, for instance, might describe the art they produce as a conversation with the viewer. Theater actors or comedians have been known to talk about carrying on a conversation with their audience.
What makes a conversation good? And what separates a good one from a great one? What are the things that the very best conversationalists do to be successful? How does it seem to flow, seemingly effortlessly, from one speaker to the next? What do you do to try and engage with someone else?
Related questions: How can we encourage meaningful conversation? Is there a conversation you’ll never forget? How can we become better listeners? What makes a good question?
How Are You Misunderstood?
One of the most difficult things about being human is how isolated we are. No one truly knows us, and every day we are misunderstood — sometimes in big ways, sometimes small.
Unfortunately, it is all too easy for misunderstandings to arise. At work, at home, at school, our image of ourselves is different from what others see.
You mean one thing, but say something else, even if what you say is close to what you meant. Your actions are misinterpreted. Your motivations are misassigned.
No one knows what goes on in your head but you. No amount of exposition, no amount of explanation is sufficient for complete understanding.
Despite our best efforts, our inner monologue is something that is unknown to all but ourselves. Even the people that know us best — our parents, our spouse, our loved ones — often misunderstand us.
In what ways are you misunderstood by those around you? How do you act, what do you say, which of your written words are misinterpreted? What traits do you have that go unheralded or unappreciated? And what do you do to address this?
Related questions: How do you think others see you? How are you underappreciated? Do you feel lonely? How do you talk about yourself?