It’s too bad we don’t have tails like dogs. But we do have other kinds of tales we can use.
Words are only part of total communication. Our body language also speaks volumes. Combinations of body language and the words we use can shift meanings entirely. However, this combination still leads to miscommunication. Confused communication causes a lot of stress. Human beings should really be equipped with tails like dogs to express how we truly feel. That way, when you meet somebody new, you can always glance at their tail to see if what you said offended them or not.
One of our "tails" developed for online communication are emoticons (or "smileys"). That has greatly helped lessen miscommunications online. But what about in the real world, interacting with people face to face? We still need help. This is where the use of background narration comes in
What Is Background Narration?
When you read a story, you’re not just reading dialog (that would be a script). There are also bits in between the dialog which tells you how the characters are feeling, thinking or what tome of voice they use. Well, using background narration for better communication just takes the techniques off of the page and puts it in your mouth.
Still confused? Perhaps this will explain what I mean better.
A Real Life Example
When I lived in England, I met a lot of people who talked to themselves (I was right at home). Since the British are concerned about propriety and appearance, I found several who utilized background narration to clear up any potential breakdowns in communication.
For example, I was almost run over by a woman who had just run down a flight of steps. I was about to ask if she was OK, when she looked up, smiled at me and said, "She sighed enigmatically and walked away." And did just that.
In another example, (again from England) I was meeting my social worker. We would have to talk about some of my personal situations and I wasn’t sure if I could trust her, but I did not want to offend her by actually saying, "I don’t trust you." My greeting went like this, "Well, Rena said cautiously but politely, wondering how you are supposed to act in such a situation, since she wasn’t taught this in college, I’m so pleased to meet you."
The social worker understood my nervousness and let me know that anything we discussed was strictly confidential, bless her.
So, if you are meeting someone and aren’t sure what to say but know you have to say something, try adding background narration to what you say. It is sure to bring a laugh, which helps to reduce stress. In this way, we can use a method of writing tails as dogs would use their tales, to help communicate how they feel.
Hope this helps.
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