Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Family Skills: How to Change the Subject

Some topics don't belong at the supper table or in holiday conversation. Some topics are prone to causing arguments, especially if family members take opposing stances on controversial issues. (The exact topics may vary from one family to another. Learn which ones your family finds troublesome.) Therefore, it helps for everyone to learn how to change the subject gracefully. Here are some resources to get you started:

WikiHow "How to Change the Subject in a Conversation"

eHow: "How to Change the Subject"

Verbal self-defense also offers some ways of changing the subject gracefully and otherwise defusing arguments. Watch for the new edition of Suzette Haden Elgin's book The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense, due out in a few months.
Tags: family skills
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  • 9 comments
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ysabetwordsmith

Yes!

ysabetwordsmith

November 6 2008, 20:05:17 UTC 12 years ago

To use the "Family Skills" tag for characterization, consider such possibilities as these:

1) Make a character or family socially fluent by assigning them traits and skills described herein.

2) Make a character or family dysfunctional by assigning the opposite of such traits and skills.

3) Pick two cultures. For each skill, make one culture fluent and the other not. For added consistency, use clusters; frex, make one culture good at loving actions and the other good at loving communication. Then bang 'em together and watch the sparks fly!
ayoub

Re: Yes!

ayoub

November 6 2008, 20:07:32 UTC 12 years ago

:D

All good fun to do! :D

(As you may have guessed, I enjoy putting my characters in awkward situations...)
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Yes!

ysabetwordsmith

November 6 2008, 20:19:05 UTC 12 years ago

Make them learn a foreign language! Most adults find that awkward and tormentful. Of course, some of us do it for fun.
ayoub

Re: Yes!

ayoub

November 6 2008, 23:08:30 UTC 12 years ago

I just made a character learn French...

Of course, this now means that I have to brush up on mine!