CHAPTER 4 SHOWING THAT YOU UNDERSTAND

Introduction:

When you talk to people, how do you show that you are listening? How do you show that
you understand or don’t understand*? There are many personal as well as cultural
differences in this area of communication. As people learn another language, it is obvious
that they need to learn grammar and pronunciation rules. Less obvious is the need to learn
how people interact as they speak and listen in the new language. Chapter 4 presents
information and skills that will help you interact effectively in English. Specifically, this
chapter discusses listening and showing understanding in English.

Culture Learning Questions

1. Compare the way Americans interact in English with the way people interact in your native
language. What similarities and differences have you observed?
2. Sometimes when people use another language, they say that they don’t always feel like
themselves. Do you feel this way when you interact in English? If so, what do you think
makes you feel this way?

Cross-Cultural Interaction: Inefective Communication

Situation:

Tak works in the United States for Western Business Machines Company, which makes
machines such as computer and adding machines. Tak works in the Sales Department. His
supervisor, Bill, is an American. At this moment, Tak is working at his desk, Bill walks up to
him.

Bill : “Hey, Tak, can you do something for me?”

Tak : (He turns and looks at Bill, but say nothing.)

Bill : “Maria Garcia from Alameda Hospital just called. There’s a problem. The hospital
ordered two new computer last month, but they haven’t received them yet.”

Tak : (He says nothing.)

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Bill : “So, anyway, can you find out what the problem is A.S.A.P.?

Tak : (Tak nods his head). “Yes.”

Bill : “get hold of Pierre in Shipping and ask him about it, okay.”

Tak : (Tak say nothing.)

Bill : “You got that, Tak?”

Tak : “Yes.”

Bill : “Okay, thanks.” (Bill turns and walks away. He thinks to himself. “I wonder if Tak
really understand me?”)

Questions and Discussion

Comprehension

Write T (true) or F (false)

1. ………… Maria Garcia called Bill today to order two computers for Alameda Hospital.
2. …………. Bill wants Tak to find out why Alameda Hospital did not receive the two
computers.
3. ………… Piere works for Alameda Hospital.
4. ………… When Bill says, “You got that, Tak?” he means. “Do you understand?”
and “Do you know what to do?”

Analysis: Can you explain?

1. At the end of the interaction, why does Bill ask, “You got that, Tak?”?
2. As he walks away, Bill says to himself. “I wonder if Tak really understood me?” Why
doesn’t Bill feel sure that Tak understand him?
3. Tak only says, “Yes” when Bill asks questions. Why doesn’t Tak say anything else?

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Talk About Your Own Languages and Culture

1. How do people show that they are listening to another person? Describe what a person does
(nonverbally) and says.
2. What do people say or do to let another person know that they haven’t understood
something?
3. If you have the opportunity, tape record a short conversation between two people in your
native language. Answer the following questions.
 How do the speaker and listener interact?
 Are there any interruptions?
 Is there silence?
 Are there sounds that the listener makes to show that he or she is listening and
understanding?

How much do you already know about U.S. Culture?

1. …….. If you do not understand what someone says, it is offer, all right to interrupt and ask
for an explanation.
2. ……… Most Americans can speak at least one language besides English. Therfeore, they
undertstand how difficult it can be to speak English as a second language.
3. ………. It is usually all right to repeat, briefly, what another person says so thay you can be
sure that you understand them.
4. ………. American generally depend on verbal rather than nonverbal language to express
themselves.

SECTION 1 GIVING FEEDBACK

Bill : “The hospital ordered two computers last month.”

Tak : “Uh huh,” (He node his head.)

Bill : Get hold of Piere. ….uh….. call him, or go see him.”

Tak : “Oh, I see.”

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Phrase and sound used to Give Feedback.

“oh, Sure” “Yeah….” “Well….” “Oh…I see.” “All right.”

Here are some nonverbal ways to give feedback:

Make eye contact with the speaker.

Smile.

Nod your head.

Skill Practice: Giving Feedback

The following dialogue takes place between a supervisor and an employee in a hotel kitchen. The
supervisor is explaining to the employee how to use the dish-washer. Read the dialogue with a
partner. One student reads the part of the employee; the other reads the supervisor’s part. Every
time the employee sees a blank line (………….), he or she will give feedback that means, “I’m
listening and I understand.” The employee will use the following phrases.

Uh huh. Oh, I see. Okay Uhm hmm. All right.

After you read the dialogue, answer the questions following it.

Supervisor : “Okay, for this job you need to wear gloves.”

Employee : …… (Employee finds a pair of gloves and puts them on.)

Supervisor : “All right. Now, first you make sure that this light is off.”

(The supervisor points to the light.)

Employee : ………….

Supervisor : “And then you move this part……”

Employee : ………….

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Supervisor : “…..like this and open the door carefully and watch out for the steam.”

Employee : ……………

Supervisor : “Wait a few seconds for the dishes to cool down…..”

Employee : …………….

Supervisor : “….and then you can unload everything.”

Employee : ……………

Questions:

1. Look at the interaction above, and answer the following questions.

 Did the listener give feedback after every sentence?
 Did the listener ever give feedback in the middle of the speaker’s sentence?
2. Now think about your own language and culture and answer the following questions.
 How often do you give feedback when you are listening? In the middle of the sentence?
Only at the end of the sentence? After two or three sentences?
 Are you completely quiet when you listen?
 Do you give nonverbal feedback?

SECTION 2 INTERRUPTING

Bill : “Maria Garcia from Alameda Hospital just called, and they’ve got a problem.

: They……”

Tak : “I’m sorry, what hospital?”

Cross-Cultural Exercise: Interrupting

In this exercise, you will compare patterns of interaction (the way people communicate) in your
own language and culture with those among American in the U.S. Specifically, you will look at
interruptions.

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Read each of the following sentences and decide if the interaction described would be common
among people from your culture. Then indicate whether you think the interaction would be
common among Americans. Put a check (√) in the appropriate columns.

Situation:

Imagine that you are at a small business meeting or in a small class with about ten people. You
don’t understand what the speaker (either the leader of the meeting or the teacher) is saying.
Would you interrupt the speaker? How would you do it? When would you do it?

Common in my language and Common among American

culture
Interrupt right away, in the
middle of the present’s
sentence, to ask a question.
Interrupt at the end of the
sentence
Interrupt nonverbally only (for
example. Look confused). Do
not speak.
Do not interrupt the speaker.
Wait to the talk to the speaker
another day.
Interrupt if necessary, but
apologize several times.
Do not interrupt the speaker.
Ask another person questions
while the speaker is talking.
Never interrupt the speaker
because the interruption
means that he or she didn’t
explain clearly. This would

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insult the speaker.

SECTION 3 ASKING FOR FOCUSED REPETITION

Bill : “Hey, Tak, can you you do something for me?”

Tak : “Oh, hi, Bill. Can I do what?”

In this chapter from Cross-Cultural Interaction, Tak didn’t hear Bill clearly. He asks Bill to
repeat a specific part of the sentence. When you ask someone to repeat something, it helps to tell
them exactly what word or phrase you need to hear again. This skill is called focused repetition.
Focused repetition is like focusing a camera. You chooses exactly what you want to take a
picture of, then you focus the camera so that the part you need is clear. With focused repetition,
you tell the speaker exactly what you want to hear.

Skill Practice: Asking for Focused Repetition

Read the following two excerpts from conversations between a head waiter and a new bus boy in
a restaurant.

A Head waiter : “That table needs another butter knife.”

Bus boy : “Another……?”

In this example, the bus boy repeats the word “another” so that the head waiter will repeat the
next word, ”butter knife.” Note that the word “another” is stretched and said with a “question
voice” (rising intonation).

The following is another way of asking for focused repetition:

B Head waiter : “take another butter knife to that table.”

Bus boy : “Another what?”

Head waiter : “Another butter knife.”

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In this example, the bus uses the question word, “what?” to ask a focused question. Question
words are:

Who What Where When Why How

Practice repeating the examples above after your teacher says them. Thank of other examples
using classroom objects. For example:

A: “The eraser is on the desk.”

B: “On the …….? Or “The eraser is where?”

Skill Practice: Asking for Focused Repetition

Do this skill practice with a partner. One partner, B, will close the book. The other partner, A,
will read each sentence below aloud.

 If you are person A, when you see three X’s (XXX) in the sentences, cover your mouth
and say the word(s) in parentheses. Person B should not hear this word (or words)
clearly.
 If you are person B, do one of the following two things to make the speaker repeat the
unclear word(s).
1. Repeat the word or words before the unclear one(s) and use a question voice.
2. use a question word in place of the unclear words(s)
 If you are person A, repeat the word or words, but clearly this time.

Example 1:

A : “Give me the XXX (board maker).”

B : “Give you the ……?

A : “Board maker.”

B : “Oh, okay.”

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SECTION 4 ASKING FOR MEANING

Bill : “Can you get hold of Pierre over in Shipping and find out?”

Tak : “Uh, …..hold up?”

Bill : “Huh? Oh, get hold of Pierre….uh….cal him, or go see him.”

Tak asks for the meaning of the phrase “get hold of” by trying to repeat what he heard Bill say,.
He does not repeat correctly, because he does not know the idiom “get hold of.” Bill understand
what Tak wants to ask, repeats the idiom (“get hold of”)., and explains the meaning.

Look at the following interaction between the head waiter and the bus boy:

Head waiter : “When you……Hal 65 di bawah2 ya…….

SECTION 5 CHECKING BITS OF INFORMATION