This is such an interesting topic, and can be looked at from so many different angels. I do think communication is much harder online, where we are all reading and writing quickly: immersed in our own POV (point of view) and oblivious to the fact that other's may be looking at things from a completely different perspective. I find face to face conversation to be so much easier, because you can usually 'read' whether or not the other person knows what you are saying.
I had a funny experience in Spain (I was taking a course there which was taught in English...I spoke no Spanish, however I had learned to order 'coca cola and garlic bread' in Spanish with a good local accent): I sat at the bar, ordered my coke & toast, and the man behind the bar started talking away...and I knew for sure he was complaining about his wife and/or kids, without understanding a word. So I was nodding and looking sympathetic. He suddenly stopped, and said something which I knew would have translated into something like: 'you don't understand me, do you?' and again, I smiled and shrugged. Then we both laughed.... Because sometimes, very rarely, you can communicate without ever understanding one word.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2006-05-21 12:57 am (UTC)I find face to face conversation to be so much easier, because you can usually 'read' whether or not the other person knows what you are saying.
I had a funny experience in Spain (I was taking a course there which was taught in English...I spoke no Spanish, however I had learned to order 'coca cola and garlic bread' in Spanish with a good local accent):
I sat at the bar, ordered my coke & toast, and the man behind the bar started talking away...and I knew for sure he was complaining about his wife and/or kids, without understanding a word. So I was nodding and looking sympathetic.
He suddenly stopped, and said something which I knew would have translated into something like: 'you don't understand me, do you?'
and again, I smiled and shrugged. Then we both laughed....
Because sometimes, very rarely, you can communicate without ever understanding one word.