密歇根新闻广播 天气引发的闲聊天

Talking about the weather can be about so much more than sunny days and stormy nights.

Last week, we talked about the subtle¹ routines we follow when opening and closing a conversation.

This week, we decided² to look at the interesting roles weather can play in those routines.

This idea comes from an article called "Relational frames in weather talk" by Nikolas Coupland and Virpi Yl?nne. In it, the authors discuss how talking about the weather is a kind of phatic communication. In other words, it functions as a way for us to relate to each other, to establish and strengthen relationships.

Imagine you're at work, getting ready to start a meeting. You're chairing the meeting, so there's a visible professional hierarchy³. However, you want everyone to feel comfortable, so before the meeting gets underway, you say something like, "Wow, can you believe that rain we got last night?"

One person responds, "I know, I was sure my basement was going to flood." Someone else says, "My teenager left the windows in the car down and now my seats are soaked." Others in the room chime in, and everyone chats until it's time for you to start the meeting.

While on the surface it may seem as though you were just making a simple comment about the weather, but what you've really done is establish common ground through a shared experience: last night's rain. You've helped to show that everyone in the room is equal, because when it comes to weather, we are.

Weather is something we all experience. In a state like Michigan, it's also always changing, so there's always something weather-related to talk about. In this way, it gives us common ground and a safe, neutral place to start when we're trying to open a conversation.

Weather talk can also fill gaps in conversation. Not only is it shared ground, but it's something we can stop talking about at any time without feeling like we need to continue the discussion later. If you're making small talk about the snow with someone at the bus stop, there's nothing awkward⁴ about cutting off the conversation once the bus arrives.

One of the most interesting things that weather can do is act as a pre-closing. When we've had a conversation and talked about everything we've wanted to, we'll sometimes turn to the weather as a signal that it's time to wrap things up. You might say something like, "So I hear it's supposed to be pretty nice this weekend." The other person responds, and the conversation can proceed to a close.

English Professor Anne Curzan had an interesting experience at work involving this very routine. It happened during a meeting with her department chair, right after she read Coupland and Yl?nne's article on weather talk for the first time.

"[The department chair] and I met and talked about all of the things we need to talk about. Right at the end [of the meeting] he said, 'I think the sun is going to come out today,' and I snorted."

Fortunately, the department chair was a very nice man and was amused once Curzan explained what was so funny. Still, we don't recommend laughing when people start talking about the weather, especially when it's your boss.

1 subtle   

adj.难于觉察或描述的，精巧的

参考例句：

• Her whole attitude had undergone a subtle change.她的整个态度发生了微妙的变化。
• There's a subtle hint of garlic in the sauce.调味汁里稍微有一点蒜味。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 hierarchy   

n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层

参考例句：

• There is a rigid hierarchy of power in that country.那个国家有一套严密的权力等级制度。
• She's high up in the management hierarchy.她在管理阶层中地位很高。

4 awkward   

adj.笨拙的，尴尬的，使用不便的，难处理的

参考例句：

• John is so shy and awkward that everyone notices him.约翰如此害羞狼狈，以至于大家都注意到了他。
• I was the only man among the guests and felt rather awkward.作为客人中的唯一男性，我有些窘迫。