#112: Wait for a reply

in ,

If you’ve ever tried to talk to someone in a second language, you’ve probably had the experience of having to think of exactly what you want to say, word for word, before you can say it. If you are talking to a patron who you suspect speaks English as a second language, wait a while for them to formulate a reply to something you’ve said before jumping into repeat or rephrase your statement or question. Rephrasing can be helpful if the person wasn’t able to parse what you said, but it’s a distraction and confusion if they understood it, but are still working on their reply.