Class given to 2nd year students at Kobe University on April 23, 2012. Simply answering a yes/no question is not enough to connect with someone at a personal level.

1. Communication
is
not a Textbook
Seido Institute
芦屋市船戸町 12-6
www.facebook.com/seido.institute

2. Is this an enjoyable conversation?
• You: Have you ever been to Canada?
• Bob: No. I hate Canada.

3. Good communicators
pay attention to 2 things:
• People (Feelings, intention, context, culture…)
• Information (sentence meaning, vocabulary…)
?

4. Context and
Intention
Why is he asking?
What does he want?

5. What’s a good answer to this
question?
When did your plane arrive?

6. Same question... What’s a good
answer?
1. You must be tired. When did your
plane arrive?
2. When did your plane arrive? Have you
seen much of the city yet?
3. When did your plane arrive? Were you
waiting long?
4. We weren’t expecting you so soon.
When did your plane arrive?

7. Good communicators
pay attention to 2 things:
1. People (Feelings, intention, context, culture…)
2. Information (sentence meaning, vocabulary…)
?

8. What is the speaker’s intention?
How might you respond?
1. You must be tired. When did your
plane arrive?

9. What is the speaker’s intention?
How might you respond?
1. You must be tired. When did your
plane arrive?
(Showing sympathy?)
(Thank them; perhaps talk about
the flight?)

10. 1. A: You must be tired. When did your plane
arrive?
B1: Yes, it was a long flight. Pretty smooth,
though, I got some sleep. And customs ( 関税）
was a breeze.
B2: Well, getting off the plane was pretty
quick, actually. We got in… half an hour ago?
The pain is the security check before take-off
（離陸前の警備） .

11. What is the speaker’s intention? How might
you respond?
2. When did your plane arrive? Have you
seen much of the city yet?

12. What is the speaker’s intention?
How might you respond?
2. When did your plane arrive?
Have you seen much of the city
yet?
(Showing availability? Ask for
suggestions on what to see?)

13. 2. A: When did your plane arrive?
Have you seen much of the city yet?
B1: Well, there was a little time
yesterday afternoon, but I just went
straight to the hotel.
B2: Yeah, I had time to go for a
walk around the port area. Very pretty.
Is there anything else I should see
before I go?

14. What is the speaker’s intention? How
might you respond?
3. When did your plane arrive? Were
you waiting long?

15. What is the speaker’s intention? How
might you respond?
3. When did your plane arrive? Were
you waiting long?
(Apologetic? Reassure them?)

16. 3. A: When did your plane arrive? Were
you waiting long?
B1: Not at all. Thanks for coming to
pick me up, I appreciate it. I don’t know
the city so well yet.
B2: Everything went
like clockwork. This
country is so efficient.

17. What is the speaker’s intention? How
might you respond?
4. We weren’t expecting you so soon.
When did your plane arrive?

18. What is the speaker’s intention? How
might you respond?
4. We weren’t expecting you so soon.
When did your plane arrive?
(Expects an explanation?)

19. 4. A: We weren’t expecting you so
soon. When did your plane arrive?
B1: The plane got in early, as a
matter of fact. We had some good
tailwinds, it seems. So... we’re off to an
good start, wouldn’t you say?
B2: Maybe we sent you the wrong
flight information? It doesn’t matter, it’s
good to be here. Thanks for
everything.

20. Party-style questions:
Just keep socializing!

21. Pattern 1: Question strings. Q+Q+Q
“What are you going to do this weekend?
Have you got anything planned? Are you
going anywhere special?”
This style makes it clear you are not doing a police
investigation ( 尋問 ), you are just looking for a
topic of conversation, so the other person can
answer freely.

22. Pattern 2: Question with example
answer. Q+e.g.
“How did you come here? By bus? By car?”

23. Pattern 3: Question plus comment.
Q+comment
“We get one week off in August. That’s the
obon holiday in Japan. The whole family
tries to get together. How about you? How
much vacation time do you get?”
Note: When you ask “How about you?” it is better to
repeat the question, and maybe use the person’s name.
I love sushi. How about you?
Better: I love sushi. How about you, John, do you
like sushi?

24. Practice: See handouts

25. Keep socializing:
Catch the topic,
and tell a story
(or invite the other to tell a story)

26. Textbook vs. Communication
A: Have you ever had a car accident?
B: Yes, I have.

27. Textbook vs. Communication
B: I came by train. I have a car, but I don’t
really drive much.
A: You don’t drive much. Well, that has
advantages. Have you ever had a car
accident?
B: (nodding) A few years ago. I was doing
some shopping in rainy weather, and I couldn’t
stop in time I hit the car in front at a traffic
light. No one was hurt, but I was pretty
shocked.

28. Allen: Have you ever had a car accident?
i.e.
Allen wants to tell about his experience
or
Allen invites Bob to tell a story about
his driving, or a car accident he saw, etc.

29. A: Have you ever had a car accident?
B1: No, I haven’t. Plenty of bruises from rush
hour on the train, though. Once someone
dropped a bottle of wine on my toe.
B2: No, I haven’t, thank God. Not yet, anyway.
How about you? Have you had any car
accidents?

30. Practice: See handouts

31. Your comments are welcome:
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