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Did you know in cultures such as the Japanese the term "face" is really important?

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Did you know in cultures such as the Japanese the term "face" is really important?

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An overview

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Why “Face” is an Important Aspect of Asian Culture

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More information

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The desire to be seen as part of the group

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The desire to be seen as part of the group

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Let's explain it AGAIN

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Positive and Negative Face Needs - What's the difference between the two?

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There are many circumstances in which you may find yourself with the opportunity or social obligation to start a conversation with someone you don't know. If you are starting from apparently no knowledge of the other person, at least you know that you share the situation you are both in. Some good conversation openers might be, "How do you know James and Sharon?" (The party hosts.) "Are you visiting San Francisco, or going home?" (On an airplane.)

When initiating a conversation with a stranger, avoid asking overly personal questions. If you lead by asking someone if she's married or what his job is, you may seem to be prying. However, if the other person volunteers that she has recently changed jobs or he is having trouble with his health, that may be okay as a topic. Likewise, launching into your own personal situation too readily might make the other person feel awkward.

But What If It's Someone You Do Know?

No matter what your relationship, be attentive and kind regarding the other's feelings. Most people like to be appreciated. Showing interest is hospitality; it invites them in. Enthusiastic words at the appropriate time will often move the conversation forward. For example, after greeting someone, we might say, "What a splendid speech you gave!" or "Your garden is looking so beautiful this spring." Depending on the mood and the person we're talking to, the conversation can then be directed in a variety of ways. Whether brief or meandering, the dance has begun.

If you believe conversation to be an irrelevant nicety, it is likely to feel like a shallow attempt at interchange. This is known as "small talk," as opposed to "big talk," which indicates that there is seemingly more important subject matter. It is true - there is. But each kind of dialogue has its place, and all conversation is important. If you feel that small dialogue is beneath you or demeaning, you come across as arrogant or insensitive, as if you don't care much about what others think or feel.

And when you habitually disdain the shallower end of the conversational spectrum, others do feel uncomfortable sharing deeper thoughts and feelings.

If there are root differences we know are difficult to bridge, both parties must be willing to live with the fact that we may not agree on all things.

When You're With Someone Who Doesn't Share Your View

When conversing with someone you don't agree with, find simple common ground to build connectivity and friendship. Instead of focusing on where you disagree, build on a variety of subjects that can strengthen the relationship, such as a cuisine or a sport you both enjoy. Common ground provides a pathway of communication, which leads to trust. At meetings or business gatherings, try talking about food, drink, going for a walk, playing golf or going for a run - all these activities allow for common experience. Then we find ourselves conversing with others. By doing this we build connectivity and trust.

Through trust, friendship can be established, and then more difficult subjects can come up because we experience a sense of freedom that allows us to be true and authentic. We also understand better, empathetically, how another perceives things. We begin to see that not all their views are wrong and not all our views are right. We learn to let go. Through appreciation of each other, we are willing to compromise. Previous problems can then be approached because we have more tools to work with.

In negotiations, it is good to find small things to build on. Ultimately, if there are root differences we know are difficult to bridge, both parties must be willing to live with the fact that we may not agree on all things. This is a natural part of the reality of living in the world with other people.

Reflect on your skills in building connections and developing trust. How flexible are you when you don't know someone or she disagrees with you? Are you able to compromise, accept the results and let go? Or do you measure the result against your expectations?

You Have to Know Who You Are

Some people are introverted and some are extroverted. If you are more reserved, you may have to put extra effort into conversation. Shyness often arises from fear of making a mistake, feeling exposed or lack of conversation skills or confidence. Often we are so wrapped up in our own emotions that we're unable to feel others' state of being. It takes determination and practice to come out of your shell, but there are ways to do it.

Stay caught up on current events and always have a topic in mind as an opener - preferably nothing to do with politics. Or notice something about the other person; it could be the color she's wearing or her name. Then take the leap and begin a conversation. "That's such a beautiful color. It reminds me of the ocean in Bermuda. Have you ever been there?" Or "'Driskill,' you say? Any relation to the folks who own the hotel?"

The more conversations you begin, the more confident you will feel. Learn to flash on your own presence first, however that makes sense to you. For example, you can take a breath, or feel the place where your feet meet the floor. Then place your awareness on the other person. It also helps to have a favorite all-purpose opener to get things rolling. A friend of mine says, "How's your heart?" He claims that asking this question - and making a commitment to really listen to the answer - has made for some extraordinary conversations.

If you are extroverted, you may need to practice toning it down. Again, the advice is to be present, forget about yourself and feel the state of others. Keep in mind that people may not be interested in hearing your advice, the details of your life or your pet peeves. They might not think your children are so adorable. They might like to get in a word edgewise. The power of silence is a friend to the extrovert, but the person who doesn't speak at all might arouse suspicion. At the same time, shy people can be good conversationalists and outgoing people can be challenged by a simple conversation.

Go Ahead and Try It

Think about someone in your daily life you don't normally pay attention to and decide to acknowledge him the next time you see him and to be attentive to his response. You could decide to say, "Hello, how are you?" to the person who's always reading the newspaper in the lobby of your apartment building. Make a sincere attempt to engage. Through this simple practice, you can make some wonderful connections.

MORE FROM BETTER

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Excerpted from The Lost Art of Good Conversation: A Mindful Way to Connect with Others and Enrich Everyday Life by Tibetan spiritual leader, Sakyong Mipham.

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How to connect and find common ground with almost anyone

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How to have a conversation with someone new - or your uncle on the other side of the political aisle.

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English Idioms for Agreeing With Someone, expressions and proverbs are an essential part of the English language, both spoken and written English are filled with them.

For English Learners idioms are hard to conceptualize, the reason being Idioms don't make literal sense.

To learn the meanings and usage of idioms, learners must study and familiarize themselves with their everyday usage.

The team at Lillypad understands the pain and difficulties English Learners content with comprehending the true meaning and fitting usage. This idioms list of Agreeing With Someone makes learning easy, with common Agreeing With Someone idioms, definitions, and example sentences which make the meaning clear.

Learning to use common idioms and expressions will make your English sound more native, so it's a good idea to master some of these expressions with daily practice, so bookmark this page or share it with your friends; now let us learn about idioms for Agreeing With Someone together.

Idioms for Agreeing With Someone with Meanings, Definitions & Example Sentences

1. See Eye to Eye

Definition and Meaning: See Eye to Eye

To "see eye to eye" means to agree with someone on a particular issue.

See Eye to Eye Example Sentences:

2. Preaching To The Choir

Definition and Meaning: Preaching To The Choir

The expression "preaching to the choir" is used to describe a situation where someone is trying to convince people who already agree with others.

Preaching To The Choir Example Sentences:

I don't need to explain the importance of recycling to this group - I'm preaching to the choir!

I'm sure everyone here already knows the importance of eating healthy, so I'm just preaching to the choir.

I don't need to tell you all how hard it is to find a job in this economy - I'm preaching to the choir!

I don't need to explain why we need to reduce our carbon footprint - I'm preaching to the choir!

I don't need to tell you all how important it is to vote - I'm preaching to the choir!

3. Find Common Ground

Definition and Meaning: Find Common Ground

The expression " find common ground " means looking for something on which you can agree with someone else.

Find Common Ground Example Sentences:

4. Meet Halfway

Definition and Meaning: Meet Halfway

It means to have a compromise about something or to agree on something that is not ideal but will work for the time being.

Meet Halfway Example Sentences:

5. Gentleman's Agreement

Definition and Meaning: Gentleman's Agreement

A "gentleman's agreement" means a mutual understanding between two or more people based on trust and not on a legal obligation.

Gentleman's Agreement Example Sentences:

6. We're On The Same Page

Definition and Meaning: We're On The Same Page

The expression " we're on the same page " means that we agree with each other.

We're On The Same Page Example Sentences:

We're on the same page about the project timeline. Let's seal the deal!

If we're on the same page, we can draft a contract for this investment.

Are we on the same page regarding starting a vegan lifestyle next year?

Since we're on the same page regarding our saving goals, let's open a joint bank account.

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6 Useful Idioms For Agreeing With Someone

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English Idioms for Agreeing With Someone, Want to Learn English Expressions? Learn Definitions Correct Usage with Examples to be more Fluent.

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The modal verbs are:

We use modals to show if we believe something is certain, possible or impossible:

My keys must be in the car.
Itmight rain tomorrow.
Thatcan't be Peter's coat. It's too small.

We also use them to do things like talk about ability, ask permission, and make requests and offers:

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Learn about modal verbs and their different meanings and do the exercises to practise using them.

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This is just my opinion, but...

This page lists useful expressions for the language function of giving opinions.

Elementary

1. I (really) think that ...

2. I believe (that) ...

3. I'm sure that ...

4. In my opinion / My opinion is ...

Pre-intermediate

1. I agree with ...

2. I feel that ...

3. I guess/imagine ...

4. I have no doubt that / I'm certain that ...

5. I strongly believe that ...

6. I've never really thought about this before, but ...

7. My personal opinion is that / Personally, my opinion is that ...

8. To be honest / In my honest opinion, ...

Intermediate

1. As far as I know, ...

2. I agree with the opinion of ...

3. I could be wrong, but ...

4. I'd definitely say that ...

5. I'd guess/imagine that ...

6. I'd say that ...

7. I'm absolutely certain that ...

8. I'm fairly confident that ...

9. I'm no expert (on this), but ...

10. I'm positive that ...

11. I'm pretty sure that ...

12. It seems to me that ...

13. It's a complicated/difficult issue, but ...

14. My (point of) view (on this) is ...

15. Obviously, ...

16. Some people may disagree with me, but ...

17. This is just my opinion, but ...

18. Without a doubt, ...

19. You probably won't agree, but ...

Upper-intermediate

1. After much thought, ...

2. After weighing up both sides of the argument, ...

3. Although I can see both points of view / Although I can understand the opposite point of view, ...

4. As I see it, ...

5. Correct me if I'm wrong, but ...

6. For me/ From my point of view, ...

7. Frankly, ...

8. I am not very familiar with this topic, but ...

9. I do believe/ feel/think ...

10. I have come to the conclusion that ...

11. I might change my mind later, but ...

12. I reckon/suppose ...

13. I tend to think that ...

14. I'm not sure I'm the right person to ask, but / I have very limited experience of this, but ...

15. I'm pretty confident that ...

16. I've always thought that ...

17. If you ask me, ...

18. I'm (absolutely) convinced that ...

19. In my humble opinion / IMHO, ...

20. It could be said that ...

21. It seems clear to me that ...

22. It would seem to me that ...

23. My initial reaction is ...

24. Not everyone will/would agree with me, but ...

25. Personally speaking / Speaking for myself, ...

26. The way I see it (is) ...

27. To be (perfectly) frank, ...

28. To the best of my knowledge, ...

29. What I think is ...

30. You could say ...

Advanced

1. After giving this matter some (serious) thought, ...

2. As far as I'm concerned, ...

3. As the old saying goes, ...

4. Having given this question due consideration, ...

5. I am of the opinion that ...

6. I can't help thinking that ...

7. I know this is a minority view, but / I'm in the minority in thinking that ...

8. I tend towards the opinion that ...

9. I think it's fair/reasonable to say ...

10. I'll tell you what I think, ...

11. I'm entirely/quite convinced that ...

12. I've come the conclusion that ...

13. If I must come up with an opinion / If you (really) want my opinion, ...

14. In my limited experience, ...

15. It could/might well be that ...

16. Know what I think? ...

17. My opinion was best expressed by ... when s/he said/wrote ...

18. My view/position on this (issue) (is clear and) is that ...

19. Off the top of my head, ...

20. Plainly, ...

21. Quite frankly, ...

22. There is a part of me that says ...

23. This may well be controversial, but ...

24. To my mind / To my way of thinking, ...

25. To summarise my (rather complex) views on the matter, ...

26. What I always say is ...

27. With some reservations, ...

28. Without a shred/shadow of doubt, ...

29. You'd have to be crazy not to agree that / Any idiot can see that ...

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This page lists useful expressions for the language function of giving opinions to other people. Graded by level. Vocabulary for ESL learners and teachers.

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You imply something without explicitly saying it

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You express without hesitance what you want to say

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You express without hesitance what you want to say

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Careful!!

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Игорь Дуненков

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Miranda is a clear example

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Miranda Priestly being ICONIC for 5 minutes

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Cultural differences regarding power distance, etc. have the most startling effects in real life

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Could Korean culture have affected plane crash?

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Learn more about intercultural pragmatics

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UO Center for Applied Second Language Studies

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Intercultural, Pragmatic, and Interactional Competence (IPIC): Overview

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What happens in intercultural communication?

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What happens in intercultural communication?

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Cross cultural communication | Pellegrino Riccardi | TEDxBergen

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Did you know that we can grade different cultures into high-context versus low-context cultures?

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What Is The Difference Between a High-Context and Low-Context Culture?

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What is cultural intelligence?

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Ep 67, What Is Normal? How Culture Affects Communication Styles

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Hofstede's cultural framework

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Hofstede Cultural Framework | International Business| From A Business Professor#Hofstede