* 5 Directing a Conversation (p.3 of 8)

5.9ï¿½ï¿½ When you donï¿½t understand what a speaker has said

Sir?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½I didnï¿½t hear what you said, sir, so could you please repeat it.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Can you please help me with my luggage?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Sir?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½I need you to help me with the luggage.ï¿½>

Maï¿½am?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½I didnï¿½t hear what you said, maï¿½am, so could you please repeat it.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How can I get to Maple Street?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Maï¿½am?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m looking for Maple Street. Do you know where it is?ï¿½>

Pardon me?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½I didnï¿½t understand what you said, so could you please repeat it.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <The man had a strong accent. Suzy did not understand his question and said, ï¿½Pardon me?ï¿½>

Excuse me?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Which floor do you need?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Excuse me?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Where do you want me to stop the elevator?ï¿½>

Iï¿½m sorry?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Would you like regular or decaf?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m sorry?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½We have coffee of regular strength and decaffeinated coffee. Which one do you prefer?ï¿½>

Iï¿½m sorry. I missed that.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Breakfast is served at 8 a.m.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m sorry. I missed that.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Breakfast will be ready tomorrow at eight oï¿½clock in the morning.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m sorry. What?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Itï¿½s so noisy here. I can hardly hear you.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m sorry. What?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Letï¿½s get out of here.ï¿½>

What did you say?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Make a left turn at the next intersection.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½What did you say?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Turn left!ï¿½>

What was that?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Is it safe here in Georgia?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Yeah. You ainï¿½t gonna worry about nothing.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½What was that?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m saying, you donï¿½t need to worry about anything.ï¿½>

Could you please repeat yourself?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Sometimes I donï¿½t understand you. Could you please repeat yourself?ï¿½>

Could you please repeat that?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½I didnï¿½t get what you said. Could you please repeat that?ï¿½>

Could you please say that again?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½You have an accent. Could you please say that again?ï¿½>

Say that again.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Say that again. And speak more clearly this timeï¿½.>

I didnï¿½t quite get that.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½I didnï¿½t hear what you said, so could you please repeat it.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½I didnï¿½t quite get that. What did you say?ï¿½>

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5.10ï¿½ï¿½ When you donï¿½t understand what a speaker is saying

I donï¿½t understand you.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <The old man cupped his hand to his ear and said, ï¿½I donï¿½t understand you. Speak louder.ï¿½>

I canï¿½t understand you.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <She told me, ï¿½Youï¿½ve got an accent. I canï¿½t understand you.ï¿½>

I canï¿½t hear you.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <The schoolboy said bashfully, ï¿½Iï¿½m sorry. I wonï¿½t do that again.ï¿½ The teacher said angrily, ï¿½I canï¿½t hear you. Repeat.ï¿½>

Could you please speak slower?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Could you please speak slower? I can hardly understand you.ï¿½>

Please speak more slowly.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½I donï¿½t understand you. Please speak more slowly.ï¿½>

Speak up.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½Speak louder. Turn your voice up.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½I donï¿½t hear well. Please speak up.ï¿½>

Could you please speak louder?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <The old man told me, ï¿½Could you please speak louder? I can hardly hear you.ï¿½>

Could you spell that?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Iï¿½m looking for Oï¿½Reillyï¿½s. Itï¿½s a bakery. Can you help me?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Hmmï¿½ Could you spell that?ï¿½>

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5.11ï¿½ï¿½ When you donï¿½t follow the speakerï¿½s train of thought

I donï¿½t follow.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Your logic seems sketchy. I donï¿½t follow.ï¿½>

I donï¿½t follow you.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Can you say that in plain English? I donï¿½t follow you.ï¿½>

I donï¿½t quite follow you.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Could you explain that in more detail? I donï¿½t quite follow you.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m not following you.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Could you elaborate on that? Iï¿½m not following you.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m not sure I follow.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Could you amplify your point? Iï¿½m not sure I follow.ï¿½>

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5.12ï¿½ï¿½ When you donï¿½t understand the speakerï¿½s point

I donï¿½t understand your point.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½I donï¿½t understand your point. Could you provide some details?ï¿½>

I donï¿½t get it.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½My sister loves her husband. At the same time, she keeps telling me how unhappy her marriage is.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½I donï¿½t get it. It appears like she canï¿½t make up her mind.ï¿½>

I didn’t quite get that. Listen <“This economic theory teaches us that if the government increases taxes, it has more money to give to the people.” – “I didn’t quite get that. Why doesn’t the government leave money in the people’s pockets in the first place?”>

I donï¿½t see what youï¿½re getting at.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½I understand your premises and logic, but I donï¿½t see what youï¿½re getting at.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m not sure I get your point.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Iï¿½m not sure I get your point. What do you want to say?ï¿½>

Iï¿½m not sure I get what you mean.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Let me explain my thought once again, and you please listen carefully this time.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m not sure I know what you mean.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½The recent test is showing that your glucose level is way too high. You might have diabetes.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m not sure I know what you mean.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Itï¿½s a chronic disease. You will be dieting for the rest of your life.ï¿½>

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5.13ï¿½ï¿½ When you bring up a counter point

I hate to bring this up, butï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½I hate to bring this up, but I see a major flaw in your theory.ï¿½>

I donï¿½t mean to be negative, butï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½I donï¿½t mean to be negative, but the basis of your theory is questionable.ï¿½>

I donï¿½t mean to be rude, butï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½I donï¿½t mean to be rude, but Professor Johnson comes to a different conclusion.ï¿½>

I may be wrong, butï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½I may be wrong, but my test results contradict your assumptions.ï¿½>

Correct me if I am wrong, butï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Correct me if Iï¿½m wrong, but some parts of your theory contradict each other.ï¿½>

You might be right, butï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Mr. Einstein, you might be right, but your theoretical results are hardly verifiable experimentally.ï¿½>

You may have a good point, butï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½You may have a good point, but your proof is insufficient at best.ï¿½>

That may be true, butï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½That may be true, but you canï¿½t prove it.ï¿½>

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