Breaking the ice? Durante un intercambio de idiomas.

Question

I apologise in advance if I've got the wrong category!

I'd just like to know what everyone's favourite methods are for getting past the small talk stage of a language exchange? I have a few partners from italki but I'm trying to get to know them before we graduate to Skype and we haven't gotten past questions like "What do you do?" "What's it like where you live?", etc. I want to get into more meaningful questions but I'm not wntirely sure how to do that as I've never really done language exchanges before now. Do you play games (like 'Have You Ever?'), just get straight into it Or what?

Thanks for your help!

G'day , welcome to the forum , remember when you met your first heartthrob and how tongue tied that you were , well that is how it is with a language, but gradually you will learn the art of small talk , have a go at all or any of the Q & A posts . - ray76, May 24, 2014

Remember there are no stupid questions , but there are a few dubious answers , you will be OK we will look out for you , just give it a go mate. - ray76, May 24, 2014

And yes there are many games to play. - ray76, May 24, 2014

Ahaha, thank you. :) Another Aussie? I haven't met many heartthrobs in my (relatively short) life but I'll plough on with the small talk then haha. - inkstained, May 24, 2014

Good on you sport , nice to have someone here that understand the lingo . I have posted some links below for you to have a crack at one of them is the "Spanish word of the day" which is posted daily , there is an"English word of the day" daily also. - ray76, May 24, 2014

The English worfd of the day is posted by a pom "Ian Hill " don't let that put you off he is a mate of mine and a great guy ( for a pom ) ,Buenas suerte amigo. - ray76, May 24, 2014

Welcome to the forum! - rac1, May 24, 2014

Welcome and thank you for filling in your profile completely. - britisk, May 24, 2014

Answer 1

Try these for starters mate

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

Game 4

Game 5

Answer 2

I sometimes ask the other person/people in the group what they enjoy most about learning their new/other language and what they find the most difficult about learning our language.

I am not keen on having set ways of starting conversations over the internet...it is too much like depending on chat up lines ... sooner or later they lose their effectiveness and appeal! I personally find starting a conversation in real life: ie face to face much easier because communication involves 3 parts: (given in order of importance)

1 Body language (approx 55 % of communication is Body language )

2 tone of voice (approx 38 % tone of voice )... and

3 words (approx 7 %)

....and we are continually gettiing feedback (ie messages) through people's body language eg facial expressions, gestures etc...which can guide us how to respond, (We do this intuitively and unclonsciously most of the time). This is also the case with Skype chats although you can also experience technical difficulties that present a challenge!

As with face to face conversations outside of Cyber World, when trying to break the ice you can talk about:

1.How you started learnning another language

2.the weather,

3.interests/ hobbies,

4 your families

5 You can ask them if they are working or are a student / how they are getting on in their work etc...

I am sure you know that the key is really to ask questions to show an interest in them and hope they will reciprocate!!

I just ask people these questions in Skype. I am interested to know, please, why do you need to prepare the ground by asking these things before you use Skype?

When you are talking face to face over Skype and can see them, surely in this situation it is easier to know if your question has been misunderstood or has touched a sensitive subject (raw nerve) and to back off and immediately apologise, when you can see their reactions, than beforehand?

I hope this helps