Evening star., 1939-01-28
Good Talker
Must Have
New Ideas
Real Conversation
Fascinating Game
Worth Learning :
BY JOAN FORTUNE AND NOR
TON HUGHES JONATHAN.

1ON HOOHES JONAIHAN,
How well do you talk? Can you
carry on an interesting conversation
with almost any one, or do you
lamely remark about the weather.
then lapse into silence after yester-
days rain and today's sunshine have
been thoroughly discussed?
There's no point in denying the
fact. The girl or man Who can and
does talk well, who knows how to
make words do their work well, holds
social advantage over the shy and
Speechless. If you're not satisfied
with your ability as a conversation
allst, today's column will present
number Of suggestions which
probably will be helpful.
Conversation shouldn't be either
a pore or a chore. Instead. it
should be fascinating game which
IS both fun and profitable to play.
Its chief ingredients are a pleasing
voice, a variety of interests. the
ABILITY to listen as we'll as speak,
and a genuine interest in other
people.
Good conversation usually shows
Itself to be natural expression of
good thinking. If you never can
think of anything to say, if YOU
feel too self-conscious to speak, re-
member that. Thinking clearly.
broadening your interests, and pre-
parlng for conversation games in
advance will give you the needed
confidence. 1t doesn't pay to be
lazy, so keep the old brain hitting
on all sixteen.
Cultivate a variety Of ideas on a
number of widely separated SUBJ
Jects. The technique of easy verbal
give and take is much like a ball
game-a tossing back and forth of
related ideas. If you'll learn to
follow and add to another players"
line Of thought, you'll lose that
tongue-tied feeling.
The best conversation is an sx-
change of ideas. Anything you do
to create ideas-your own ideas
W7ll help you to speak we'll. Read
books, magazines, and newspapers.
Listen to and absorb the ideas of
others-in personal contact, over the
air, at lectures and forums. Make
your quest for ideas a fascinating
adventure. Store up conversational
ammunition by finding out about
things.
Interest is often an important
aid to good conversation, and rs
not hard to have at least funda-
mental knowledge of any subject
in which you're really interested
politics, sports, literature, foreign
affairs, travel, and many others.
Almost every subject under the
sun makes interesting cNnversa ton.
Have opinions. but don rive strongly
opinionated. The person who knows
all the answers makes a poor part
ner in any conversation game.
Learn to match subjects with peo-
pie and occasions. The things you
discuss with Cousin Hattie will bore
your date" And when yoikre
being waltzed, or are swinging
Marian to the tune of "Old Man
Nose" it's hardly the time to dis
cuss the finer things of life.
Remember that the subject Of
greatest interest to other people is
themselves. So when you talk to
your friends make them the subject
of your conversation. Not all the
time, of course, but quite often.
Talk about their likes, their inter-
ests and their activities. Express a
lively interest in what they are
doing and thinking.
When they are talking to you-
when any one is talking to YOU
listen with your eyes, your ears
and your mind. Keep your eyes on
the speaker. Let your expression
show that you are following what
is being said. Remember that an
occasional question or well-timed re-
mark will encourage and please the
narrator.