HOW TO CONVERSE

Shannon News, 8 January 1929, Page 4

HOW TO CONVERSE

...SOME PRACTICAL HINTS.

~ Conversation, vfe arc often told, is a ' " "lo*it art" The reason "may bo I 'that wo k r •hay.e got intonhe-way of h alwaya- : being ' " in, J a" hurry," and conversation. demands l - qjiietnesa '"and • -leisure (writes V"'W:C.B. M in the-Bimingharh.'Post'). 7 "Perhaps, too, wo-have Left off roading +'" Vtdely J <md' thiukirig-'deenly, and' therefore wo have next to ! nothing to' say . ',' when we meet' oiir friends. '''■".Talking is - not ail-that -it -might be. - and- most of out encounters with'our \~ fricmlrf "provclost •opportunities, noi '•' -always* because we or-they-are--empty-headed, but because we do not think ' in advance o'f what w? are : going to , . say. We take no pain? to get' ourselves ""' ready,'but leave everything to ch-wce. . Because we meet without preparation " we part'without'profit. . V For casual meetings we-naturally -! can make no provisions; we speak on whatever subject may arisen The result may or .may not be helpful. But when we arrange a meeting, why should we not decide what to talk nbout= atfd«Tnake the-most of the opportunity the encounter gives. There is always something to be learnt from exchanging-'ideas. ' Why not get-our ideas in order be'settling' the points we want to discuss and the questions we intend - -to ask! Pbiisibly wo may at times act '•'• to 1 some extent onthose-lines, and dc- *• fide,'when we aro-going to--meet! a * friend, to'-have 'a- chat on .some parjtv -'-tutor'subject. Bnt-"»vhpn .the •- -is over, we fmd we 1 bwe not -said halt •-' we-mcaht-to say.' We could'save our-■•''•nolvcs-from wasting these-prccious op"l poTtuhities by the simple process ;oi •- 'diking notes and taking them with us. -* -A* host of voices will, of i course, proJ -' J *teilt ; 'th'at'this;spoils charm of'conver-'-'niltidn; making it«<formal aud" robbing it of that spontaneity which- iff its ''-•very u t!BScnce\ "'But'-need this be* What tbi which racy * •"tjxttimporate-s speeches td which we : : ■ * listen * with delight, those witty out-S-'-poufirigß"' of'•genius-'■■-which.make u« "'''rook with* laughter 1 ?- • Careful-prepara-V"-tion—that is, as a- rule, the secret -of ''"'thc^pleflsure-they "give—and notes .as - an" aid *o -memory. . . ■, * - v) 'Our failure in conversation is due .to - our"neglect of this mtfthoxV The ordiivnary man- ' must ahinkUong before he - / " can'-speak- effectively; - We must, >or . course, avoid deserving the complaint v-'-'that -'Victoria *'•• made, 'against A -caTe not to-spoak «■ io'a -friend as if we- were addressing ' a-irablle' meeting." Conversation, though 1 ' it is' speaking*'- docs not mean- making '>■■' a*speech; by its>very nature it cannot v- bo -one-sided, • and' each must have Jus V 'turn, or it is not conversation at sill. Kit'is-here that notes will prove a he.lp. 1 The one to who*a we are talkyag •• may'suddenly go off at a'tangent nhd. v-"'carry us into Tegions of thought tar r-removed from.those wc had intended - to'explore. A-glance at the slip oi caper in our hand or up our sleeve v .will j*miud us of the points we were r-- -in danger of- forgetting, and then like f.';Mr. "Pumblcchook, we can lead the Company- gently back to the theme -'; 'from' which' they ho d stray ed. : "-Whether we admit it or not, we are *:'all brain-pickers,- and intend to get -whatever may be found in other pec- ;; .plc'Vminds. A few. careful y widen -notes' will-save us from losing our /•chance' of increasing our ot

* ' knowledge and ideas. . 1 *'. Practice will'develop our ingenufty ,- and enable us- gradually to makej a - "word do the work of a sentence; as we " -become-more skilful wu shall use al> v tcration as'.an additional «*. "SIE - • 'shall bo'arrange our proposed sheets .■ thufcach. will-lead easily and nattar- , ally to' the ii«t. -Writing as -Badon 'fiavsr tiwiketh art exact man, and- ?ne • ,ffiwho learns the art of writing .. notes will'not bo long in' learning the .. -urt of conversation, and turning it to ' account. ____— i