13 Ways to Clarify When You Don’t Understand Someone | Advanced English Conversation

Summary

In this Speak Confident English video, Annemarie guides viewers on how to navigate conversations when feeling lost or unclear about the topic. She emphasizes the importance of asking clarifying questions to maintain engagement and confidence. Annemarie presents four scenarios where such questions are crucial: when opinions are unclear, thoughts aren't connected, more details are needed, or the topic is unfamiliar. She offers 13 strategies and corresponding questions to help viewers effectively seek and receive clarification, ensuring they can actively participate in any conversation.

Takeaways

• 😀 It's important to be honest and ask clarifying questions when you're lost in a conversation, rather than pretending to understand.
• 🧠 Engaging in conversations about unfamiliar topics like genomes and DNA can be challenging, but it's an opportunity to learn and grow.
• 🗣️ There are four main scenarios where you might need to ask for clarification: unclear opinions, disconnected thoughts, needing more details, and feeling lost due to unfamiliar topics or vocabulary.
• 🤔 When someone's opinion is unclear, restate what you think you heard and ask if you're correct, or ask them to clarify their stance on an issue.
• 🔗 If a speaker's points aren't connected, ask how specific details relate to each other to help them make their argument clearer.
• 📚 When more details are needed, request further information or ask the speaker to expand on their points to gain a better understanding.
• 🏥 In professional settings like discussing medical advice, don't hesitate to ask for more information on vague points, such as potential side effects of medication.
• 🔤 If you encounter unfamiliar words or phrases, it's perfectly fine to admit it and ask for their meanings to stay engaged in the conversation.
• 👶 Using phrases like 'explain it to me like I'm five' can be helpful when you need complex topics to be simplified for better comprehension.
• 💬 Practice asking for clarification in various scenarios to build confidence and ensure effective communication.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the conversation in the provided transcript?

The main theme of the conversation is about the importance of asking clarifying questions in English when one feels lost or doesn't understand something in a conversation.

Why did the speaker feel the need to clear 'cobwebs' from their head?

The speaker felt the need to clear 'cobwebs' from their head because they were discussing a topic, such as genomes and DNA, that was unfamiliar to them and beyond their area of expertise.

What did the speaker choose to do instead of pretending to understand during the conversation with their student?

Instead of pretending to understand, the speaker chose to be honest and asked a series of clarifying questions to fully understand what their student was talking about.

What are the four different scenarios mentioned in the transcript where one might need to ask for clarification?

The four scenarios are: 1) When someone's opinion isn't clear, 2) When someone's thoughts aren't clearly connected, 3) When more details are needed, and 4) When feeling lost in the conversation due to unfamiliar topics or vocabulary.

How can one clarify when they don't know someone's opinion on an issue?

To clarify when someone's opinion isn't clear, one can highlight what they heard and confirm their understanding by paraphrasing the opinion and asking if they are correct.

What is a polite way to ask for clarification when someone's points are not clearly connected?

A polite way to ask for clarification when someone's points are not clearly connected is to ask if they could explain how two specific details relate to each other.

Why is it beneficial to ask for more details when someone's idea or opinion is vague?

Asking for more details when someone's idea or opinion is vague is beneficial because it helps to reduce confusion and frustration by obtaining a more concrete understanding of the speaker's thoughts.

What should one do if they encounter a new word or phrase during a conversation?

If one encounters a new word or phrase during a conversation, it's best to ask for clarification by stating that they haven't heard the word before and asking for the meaning.

How can one stay engaged in a conversation when the topic is unfamiliar?

To stay engaged in a conversation when the topic is unfamiliar, one should resist the temptation to stay silent and instead ask clarifying questions to learn and understand more about the subject.

What is the purpose of the 'Speak Confident English' lessons mentioned in the transcript?

The purpose of the 'Speak Confident English' lessons is to help individuals gain the confidence they need for their life and work in English by navigating conversations effectively.

What is the advice given for someone who feels lost in a conversation due to an unfamiliar topic?

The advice given is to ask clarifying questions such as asking for the meaning of a new word or phrase, or asking the speaker to explain the topic in more detail, similar to how one would explain it to a five-year-old.