THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT! How Conversational Style Makes or Breaks Relationships

In relationships of all kinds, the words you use can give people the wrong impression: of control when you want to emotionally connect, criticism when you want to help, or anger when you feel afraid or insecure. Worse yet, once these miscommunications occur, a whole new argument can get cranked up about the disconnect between what was said and what it was taken to mean. With respect to the continuum of closeness/distance in particular, Tannen has a grasp of the emotional landscape that goes well beyond her insights about language alone. While the abridgment captures the main ideas of the book, one and a half hours is not nearly enough time with this warmly articulate writer and speaker. T.W. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 01]