2013.09.08
Question 17 ”What topics should I talk about for small talk?” 英語学習法
ビジネス英語の学習法やポイントについて聞く Q&A 第17弾は、
“What topics should I talk about for small talk?” です。
Ｑ．スモールトークはどういった話題について話せばよいか？
Hikaは動画の中で次のように言っています。
『まず「スモールトークをする相手とどれくらい親しいか」は重要です。
お客様、友達など様々な人と話す機会はあると思います。
よく、「私はお客様と話すことがありません。」
と言う人がいますが、私はそうは思いません。
スモールトークをする目的は、相手を知るためだからです。
相手をよく知らないのであれば、話すことはあるわけです。
そして、あなたを知ってもらうことにもなるわけです。 』
それでは、具体的にどうスモールトークをすればよいのしょうか？
Hikaが動画の中で４つのガイドを示して説明しています。
どういう内容がよいかについては、ぜひ動画でご覧ください！
Hello and welcome to this Bizmates question and answer
video series for Japanese businesspeople.
And today's question is a good one. I like this one.
What topics should I talk about for small talk?
What topics? Tell me,
should I talk about the weather?
Should I talk about the news, sports?
What should I talk about?
OK let's try to answer this question.
First thing, when you make small talk with someone,
I want to know how well do you know the other person?
Your guest, your customer, your friend whoever.
How well do you know them?
Do you know them really well, not so well?
Because I often hear this complaint.
I hear, "Yeah, Hika,
I have nothing to talk about with my guest."
You have nothing to talk about?
Well, I don't know about that.
I disagree. If you look at it in a different way.
Your goal in small talk is to get to know them.
OK, and if you don7t know them,
then you have something to talk about.
because your goal is to get to know them, yeah.
And get them to know you.
OK, so it's both sides.
You've got to tell them about yourself.
You want to know more about them.
OK, that's what you talk about, that's small talk.
OK, so and how do you do this?
Well guide the conversation. Don't be passive.
Don't wait; don't wait for them to speak to you.
OK, ask questions about the other person.
Yeah so where are you from?
OK what are you interested in?
Oh really. What's it like in Chicago?
Oh, when did you come to Japan?
OK, these questions:
what, why, where, when, who, how.
The purpose is to find out more
about the other person.
So don't worry. You don't have to speak so much.
Get them to speak.
And most people like to talk about themselves.
Right? So ask the questions.
And as you get more information,
find something in common.
Oh really. Yeah, I enjoy basketball too.
Oh really. I visited Kyoto before too.
Find something in common.
And also you could talk about something
you are interested in or familiar with.
Don't, OK it doesn't... You don't have to try
to pretend that you're interested in his topic or her topic.
Talk about something you're interested in,
you're familiar with.
If you're familiar with it, you should be able
to speak about it in detail in English.
Yeah, something you're passionate about.
OK.
And share some information or your experience.
Yeah, well the last time I went to United States
on a business trip, I experienced this.
You know, I learned something really interesting that time.
You know, so share that experience.
And then little by little,
you are telling them about yourself.
You are learning about them
and then small talk becomes much easier.
Becomes much easier with someone you know,
and the will become someone you know. Yeah.
OK, now I hope that helps you
in making small talk in English.
OK, so please join us in the next video lesson.
Thank you.
video series for Japanese businesspeople.
And today's question is a good one. I like this one.
What topics should I talk about for small talk?
What topics? Tell me,
should I talk about the weather?
Should I talk about the news, sports?
What should I talk about?
OK let's try to answer this question.
First thing, when you make small talk with someone,
I want to know how well do you know the other person?
Your guest, your customer, your friend whoever.
How well do you know them?
Do you know them really well, not so well?
Because I often hear this complaint.
I hear, "Yeah, Hika,
I have nothing to talk about with my guest."
You have nothing to talk about?
Well, I don't know about that.
I disagree. If you look at it in a different way.
Your goal in small talk is to get to know them.
OK, and if you don7t know them,
then you have something to talk about.
because your goal is to get to know them, yeah.
And get them to know you.
OK, so it's both sides.
You've got to tell them about yourself.
You want to know more about them.
OK, that's what you talk about, that's small talk.
OK, so and how do you do this?
Well guide the conversation. Don't be passive.
Don't wait; don't wait for them to speak to you.
OK, ask questions about the other person.
Yeah so where are you from?
OK what are you interested in?
Oh really. What's it like in Chicago?
Oh, when did you come to Japan?
OK, these questions:
what, why, where, when, who, how.
The purpose is to find out more
about the other person.
So don't worry. You don't have to speak so much.
Get them to speak.
And most people like to talk about themselves.
Right? So ask the questions.
And as you get more information,
find something in common.
Oh really. Yeah, I enjoy basketball too.
Oh really. I visited Kyoto before too.
Find something in common.
And also you could talk about something
you are interested in or familiar with.
Don't, OK it doesn't... You don't have to try
to pretend that you're interested in his topic or her topic.
Talk about something you're interested in,
you're familiar with.
If you're familiar with it, you should be able
to speak about it in detail in English.
Yeah, something you're passionate about.
OK.
And share some information or your experience.
Yeah, well the last time I went to United States
on a business trip, I experienced this.
You know, I learned something really interesting that time.
You know, so share that experience.
And then little by little,
you are telling them about yourself.
You are learning about them
and then small talk becomes much easier.
Becomes much easier with someone you know,
and the will become someone you know. Yeah.
OK, now I hope that helps you
in making small talk in English.
OK, so please join us in the next video lesson.
Thank you.
