Igor's parents asked him how he liked the concert last night. Igor responded with, "Wow, it was totally sick! I'm going again tonight." His parents wonder, "If the concert was sick, why would Igor want to go again?" Explain the language barrier most likely involved in this exchange. What can you suggest for managing this word barrier?
What will be an ideal response?
- Bypassing occurs when the same word has a different meaning for different people.
* In this case the word sick is used by Igor to actually mean good or cool, reflecting a meaning unique to his generation or peer group.
* Igor's parents understand the meaning of the word sick as "not good."
- Strategies for managing bypassing:
* When speaking, provide specific examples.
* When listening, ask questions to clarify the meaning.
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