This five page paper analyzes the 1992 book by the renown communications expert Deborah Tannen. In this book communication is explored from the perspective of gender with men engaging in so called report talk, a category of talk that emphasizes fact, while women engage in what Tannen refers to as rapport talk, a category of talk emphasizing feelings. One source is listed.
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usually based on gender, there are a few phrases that are handy from the start, and give an insight to the point of Tannens discourse. They are that men,
generally are involved in report talk, which centers around facts. For women, Tannen uses the description rapport talk generally around feelings. In this discussion, we will use Tannens
1992 text, Thats Not What I Meant to see how these two distinctions, influence, and sometimes complicate interpersonal communication. Meta-messages
Meta-messages are the emotion or overall feeling, which frames the perceived tone of the conversation between the two people involved. In other words, Tannens point is, it may not
be so much what you say, as the tone in which it is said. Certainly most of us have reached the point where we realize that much communication is
done through facial expression or body language. We are used to those terms and have a pretty good idea that it occurs, when words are not coming out of
our mouth. Rather we might say that is the "stage", which can be seen, before the dialogue begins. Other influences It is Tannens contention, that, cultural differences, and
misunderstood intentions can also influence communications styles. Add an indirect style of communication, more a tool used by women, and direct styles of communications, more the choice of men,
and we might begin to wonder how we can talk to each other at all. Unfortunately these elements may get knotted-up in unclear language, which may lead us to
wail, but "thats not what I meant!" An example When things begin to sound a little fuzzy, or you want to say, I think , I heard