How To Talk To Anyone Free Pdf? Quick Answer

We all dread the awkward silence when we’re expected to make small talk with a stranger. Maybe it’s at a business dinner and you’re sitting next to a new colleague. Maybe you’re at a wedding and you’re meeting a friend of a friend of a friend. How do you get beyond the initial introductions? How about if you find yourself in a high stakes situation such as E.g. at a job interview where you are expected to outperform the competition? Then there is always the blind date. How can you make this the start of something big (assuming you want to)?

Everyone has a different style of conversation. If you have an extrovert personality, you can probably be planted in any social situation and at least start small talk without feeling too much pain. However, if you’re on the introverted side, these situations can make you cringe. All you can think about is how badly you want to escape. Most people are somewhere in the middle of the introversion-extroversion dimension, but everyone has moments of greatness and everyone has moments of utter failure when the pressure to shine is great.

Success in small talk is very similar to success in other social situations, including online chat, job interviews, and social networking. The basic premise is that you find common ground with the people you communicate with, using the right level of self-disclosure, empathy, and tact.

I’ve found that Carl Rogers’ person-centered approach to therapy is perhaps the most useful guide to the small talk realm. In the 1970s, Rogers made tremendous contributions to counseling and clinical psychology, teaching therapists how best to listen, reflect on their clients’ feelings, and transform those reflections into insights that drive change.

Obviously you will not engage in psychotherapy in your chats with random social companions. But you can use Rogers’ insights to smooth out the rough patches in your chats with strangers. Add a little social psychology to these pearls of wisdom, and you have a perfect formula for success no matter who you talk to or how much you dislike or dislike meeting strangers.

Enough small talk; Let’s get to these 10 tips!

1. Listen.

Too often when we get to know someone, we try to fill the dead moments with gossip about ourselves. It is far better to listen first and then speak. Of course, someone has to start the conversation, but if you and your companion really listen to each other and don’t worry about what to say next, things will flow more naturally.

2. Use empathic reflection skills.

The next level of Rogerian communication is to repeat what you have heard, or at least what you think you have heard. This shows that you have been listening and also allows the person you are speaking to to clarify whether you are in fact far off the mark in your assessment of what you thought you were hearing.

3. Turn on your nonverbal detectors.

Rogers was known for his ability to read his clients’ body language. This is easiest to do when you shift your attention from your inner feelings to how you think the other person is feeling based on that person’s non-verbal cues. If the person seems uncomfortable with where the conversation is going, change gears. Although some people enjoy discussing politics, religion, and sex, others prefer to keep things light. Learn how to measure the impact of what you say by reading physical cues like posture, eye contact, and hand movements.

4. Avoid snap judgments.

If you follow steps 1 through 3 above, you’re less likely to misjudge the person you’re talking to, but we all suffer from the temptation to jump to conclusions about others based on superficial clues. Things aren’t always what they seem when you first meet someone. If you’ve been listening carefully, thinking about what you’re hearing, and keeping your non-verbal channel open, you’re less likely to make false judgments based on outside cues.

5. Be an online detective or behavior profiler.

You can help your case even further if you have the opportunity to find out in advance who you will be meeting with, along with a little bit of their story. Then you’ll be prepared to ask questions that are relevant to the people you’re meeting. If you don’t have the opportunity, practice your behavioral profiling using the visual cues at your disposal (think Sherlock Holmes, who might infer the profession by looking at someone’s hands).

6. Don’t assume people will agree with you.

Research shows that many of us cling to the “assumed similarity bias.” It is not safe to conclude that the person you are speaking to is also because you are opposed to one political party or another. Debates can lead to pleasant conversations. However, if you assume that everyone feels the same way you do, chances are you’ll start off on the wrong foot and end up with it in your mouth.

7. Try to learn from every interaction with a new person.

A person you have never met before may have been in places and done things that you have not done. People from other places, including countries other than your own, can open up new perspectives for you. They will only be opened if you show interest. You can expand your knowledge of other regions, cultures and nations, which ultimately also makes you a more interesting conversationalist.

8. Stay up to date.

Being familiar with current events is absolutely the best way to have enough topics to bring up in any conversation. The topics do not have to be heavyweight or in-depth specialist knowledge. Even knowing what the number one box office hit is or what the hottest song or video is is better than not knowing what’s going on in the world around you.

9. Know when not to talk.

Some people prefer not to have any conversations at all, especially in crowded situations like public transport. Maybe you think it’s great to while away the boring hours on a long flight by chatting with the person seated next to you. However, if you get hints to the contrary from that passenger (or others around you), then take the hint that your silence will be considered golden. If you find yourself doing this all the time wherever you go (and getting negative feedback), make sure you don’t get bored by bringing something to read or do to enjoy yourself.

10. Don’t share too much.

You may have heard that it’s okay to tell strangers your most private secrets. After all, you never see her again. Right? There are three flaws in this reasoning:

You might see that person again, or that person might know someone you know. In the world of six degrees of separation that we live in, it’s amazing how quickly your personal secrets can spread. People feel uncomfortable hearing a stranger’s deepest secrets. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. How would you feel if you heard someone you barely know tell you about their love affairs, health condition, or family quarrels? Oversharing can bore you. While we can choose not to read the boring, everyday babble of our Facebook friends, it’s a little harder to do so in person. Going back to tip #3, you should be able to gauge when you are about to commit the sin of TMI (too much information).

Meeting new people and making small talk isn’t everyone’s favorite activity, but if you follow these simple tips, you might find that you enjoy some of the “extras” to balance your inner introvert.

Copyright Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D. 2011

Facebook image: fizkes/Shutterstock

1-Sentence Summary: How to Speak to Anyone is a collection of actionable tips to help you master the art of human communication, make a great first impression, and keep people of all walks of life close to you feel comfortable

Reading: 4 minutes

Author’s favorite quote:

video summary

One of the greatest things about knowing yourself well is that you can tell other people how you function. Give them an instruction manual, so to speak. One of the worst things about this is that they then lock you up. Whenever I tell people I’m an introvert, they kind of expect me to never leave the house. Of course that’s nonsense.

Human behavior lies on a spectrum. Always. And aside from the fact that every situation is different, you can also practice changing yourself. Like Leil Lowndes, who went from a shy school teacher to a flight attendant, actress, cruise director and later even a trainer, talk show host and announcer! How to Talk to Everyone is one of her many books on communication that highlights 92 of her top tips for success in human relationships.

It’s a very handy guide, so let’s look at some of the specific advice it has to offer:

A seamless introduction almost always leads to a fluent conversation. Emulating and empathizing with people makes it easy for them to become your friend. Praise is useful, but keep your most explicit compliments to family and close friends.

Ready for a fast-paced session of quick communication hacks? Let us begin!

How to talk to someone summary

If you want to save this summary for later, download the free PDF and read whenever you like. Download PDF

Lesson 1: Smooth introductions usually grow into good conversations.

The part where we sweat the most when meeting new people is always the first ten seconds. Often this is the only part where we sweat. If you’ve ever spoken to a stranger, you know this is true. Once you have overcome this first hurdle, things usually go well. Because of this, Leil suggests just skipping this first potentially awkward part. As? Through an introduction!

If you’re at an event, ask the host to introduce you. You will know them both, which makes for an instant connection. Another option is to ask the host for a few details about the person that you can use to start a conversation. Or just hang around and watch their other conversations until you can drop by. Introverts might also bring an eye-catching conversation starter, like a fancy outfit or gimmick, as well as smiles, nods, and waves.

And if you’re trying to replicate this online, email introductions work well when a mutual acquaintance makes them. I use them all the time. You can even use whatever information you find there to show you’re prepared, which is called the briefcase technique. Oh, and if you’re the host, make sure you help your guests do the same!

Lesson 2: Imitation and companionship are two powerful ways to connect.

The easiest way to get people to like you is to get them talking about themselves. But while it’s nice that you don’t have to say so much, eventually it’s your turn, or maybe you just love to talk too. So what else can you do once the rollout is complete? Two powerful tools, says Lowndes, are imitation and companionship. Here’s what she means:

First, when your movements and theirs are the same, people around you will subconsciously feel comfortable. If they use their hands a lot, use yours too, and so on. Another thing I usually do is use the same words to describe the same things. Also, if you know they like something, use vocabulary from that area, for example, call them “dude” if they like sailing.

Secondly, it is very important to show people that you are on the same page. I tend to throw in affirmations like “yes” and “uh-huh,” but Leil suggests that full sentences are better suited to accomplishing the same thing. If you can refer to yourself and your interlocutor with “we” and “us”, that is also an asset. When you say “How do you like our new cinema?” you are part of the same team, a separate group if you will. This also quickly leads to internal jokes, which are one of the best ways to strengthen bonds over time.

Nothing beats a running gag to keep the spirits up, right?

Lesson 3: The better you know someone, the more specific you should be in your praise.

One of the most common tips for getting along well is to compliment others. That’s true, but according to Leil, there’s some misconception about the idea of ​​praise, particularly when it comes to when and how to deliver it. As a rule of thumb, the more you know and appreciate someone, the more detail and frequency you can tell them.

For example, if you’re working with someone for the first time, ask a mutual colleague to tell them they did a great job. If you do it in person, do it indirectly, for example by stating their accomplishment as fact and then asking them how they did it. Or ask for their opinion, which always makes us feel valued.

If you know someone well, e.g. For example, if you have a close friend or someone you enjoy dating, you can compliment them on their accomplishments right after an important event. And for the special people in your life? Highlight their best, specific qualities that you admire. Maybe it’s their sense of humor, maybe it’s their humility, but life is short so let those closest to you know why you love them in so many ways.

How to talk to someone review

As you can see from my summary, How To Talk To Everyone is very practical and focuses on little tricks you can try today. It’s important not to overdo it with books like these, because you’ll drown in tactics you’ll never use, but the occasional experimentation is very useful indeed. Try out some of what we’ve discussed, and when you’re ready for more, consider getting a copy of the book.

Audio Summary Listen to the audio of this summary with a free Reading.fm account:

What else can you learn from the book?

How to smile at first impressions

Why you should always be prepared for some of the most common questions

Which makes people more likely to return your favors

Sound professional at work

The reason you should always be the first to applaud

What you can do to sound great on the phone

How to rock any party like Gatsby

Who would I recommend the How to Talk to Someone Summary to?

The 16-year-old high schooler who’s only nights away from prom, the 32-year-old real estate agent whose income depends on her relationships, and anyone who constantly compliments.

There is no question that body language is important.

And according to Leil Lowndes in her book How To Talk To Anybody, you can get – and hold – anyone’s attention without saying a word.

We’ve selected the best body language techniques from the book and shared them below.

The flooded smile

“Don’t immediately smile when you greet someone,” says Lowndes. When you do this, it seems like everyone in your line of sight gets the same smile.

Instead, stop and look at the other person’s face for a second, and then let a “big, warm, welcoming smile roll down your face and spill into your eyes.”

Even if the delay is less than a second, it will convince people that your smile is sincere and personal to them. According to Lowndes, smiling more slowly can add fullness and depth to people’s perceptions.

sticky eyes

“Pretend your eyes are glued to your conversation partner’s with warm, sticky toffee,” advises Lowndes. Even after speaking, do not break eye contact. “If you have to look away, do it very slowly and reluctantly, stretching the sticky toffee until the tiny cord finally snaps.”

You can also try counting the blinks of your interlocutor. In one case study, subjects reported significantly higher feelings of respect and affection for their peers who used this technique.

epoxy eyes

In a group of people, look at the person that interests you occasionally, regardless of who is speaking. If your attention is drawn to this person, even if they’re just listening, you’re showing that you care deeply about their reactions.

Be warned – using full epoxy eyes can be a bit overwhelming for the subject and make them feel uncomfortable. You should primarily observe the speaker, but allow your gaze to shift to your goal when the speaker finishes points of interest.

The Big Baby Pivot

People are very aware of how you react to them. When you meet someone, turn your body fully towards them and give them the same undivided attention that you would give a baby. Lowndes says, “Moving 100% towards the new person is screaming, ‘I think you’re very, very special.'”

Limit fidgeting

If you want to appear believable, try not to move too much when your conversation is really important. “Don’t fidget, twitch, wiggle, squirm or scratch,” says Lowndes. Frequent hand gestures near your face can make your listener feel like you’re lying or scared. Instead, simply fix the listener with a constant gaze and show them that you are fully focused on the matter at hand.

Hang on to your teeth

This visualization trick will help you look more confident with your posture, which Lowndes describes as “your biggest barometer of success.” To do this, imagine a piece of leather hanging from the frame of every door you walk through. Pretend to bite the cog handle and let it smile on your cheeks and lift you up.

“When you hang by your teeth,” says Lowndes, “every muscle is stretched into a perfect postural position.” Your head is held high, shoulders back, torso off hips, and feet weightless.

This trick also works because of the frequency with which people go through doors. If you imagine something often enough, it becomes a habit. “Habitual good posture is the first sign of a big winner.”

hello old friend

When you meet someone for the first time, pretend it’s your old friend. According to Lowndes, this will create many unconscious reactions in your body, from the softening of your eyebrows to the positioning of your toes.

An added benefit of this technique is that when you pretend you like someone, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy – you might start to really like them. Lowndes says: “The bottom line is that love begets love, as like begets, respect begets respect.”

WATCH NOW: 7 rules for making a good first impression

Does your head go blank during conversations?

Then this course is just right for you!

You will learn to speak freely and feel confident in conversations. You can finally stop worrying about what to say next and avoid those dreaded awkward silences.

Imagine speaking to someone naturally, flowing smoothly from one topic to the next.

It’s time to connect with more people, rock interviews, and make this year filled with fun and opportunity.

In it you will receive more than 4 hours of video and you will learn:

Why your head is empty

They are the key to trusting the conversation

The magic trick that the “natural people” use

A five-minute exercise in spontaneity

How you never run out of things to say

How to Talk About Yourself and Tell Great Stories (Even When It’s Boring)

Four failsafe icebreakers to start conversations with anyone

Go-to themes for every situation

Keep up to date with current events and pop culture so you’re never left feeling ignorant

You will also receive these exclusive bonuses:

BONUS #1: How to Join and Enjoy Group Conversations with Jeff Callahan

BONUS #2: Connect with all 4 personality types with Paul Peixoto

Think about the last conversation you had with someone you didn’t know. Did certain moments feel awkward? Did you find the other person interesting? Did the other person find you interesting? Were you glad you had the conversation?

Research by a group of social psychologists suggests that the answer to all of these questions is yes.

The researchers conducted a workshop for individuals in the community to learn how to speak better with strangers, and surveyed participants about those conversations—both before and after them.

The results showed that both before and after the conversation, people thought they would find their partners interesting, explains study author Gillian Sandstrom, PhD, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Essex. But they don’t think their partner will find them that interesting in return, she tells NBC News BETTER. “And almost everyone says the talks actually went a lot better than they thought.”

The findings were published in the journal Psychological Science in the fall and presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology annual meeting in February.

Participants chose to attend the event, so the sample was a somewhat unique group because they were motivated from the start to get better at conversations, notes Sandstrom.

But the data suggests that even when conversations feel awkward, they’re probably going better than you think, she says. Maybe we can also get much better at connecting with people we don’t know, whether it’s a new colleague, a friend of a friend, or the cashier at the grocery store.

Here’s what Sandstrom and others want you to know about speaking to people you don’t know — and why it can actually do you a lot of good.

It’s difficult to talk to new people because there are so many unknowns

Talking to someone you don’t know is new territory. Compared to talking to your partner, your best friend, or your mother, the unknowns make it challenging and potentially intimidating, Sandstrom says. “We go into conversations thinking that all these terrible things can happen.”

The other person may be talking too much. We might talk too much. You could close. We might get bored. You might get bored. There could be an awkward silence. You could try to turn me on. They might try to hurt me in some way (which might be the reaction, which Sandstrom says is a relic of our evolutionary past).

Context matters too, says Georgie Nightingall, conversation coach and founder of Trigger Conversations, a London-based organization dedicated to teaching people how to have better, more meaningful conversations, to NBC BETTER. In every context, there are unwritten social norms that we would like to follow but may not always be sure of. Will we appear more believable or likable if we reveal a certain fact about ourselves? Will being too brave impress or put anyone off?

“We want to be liked or at least accepted by others,” she says. “In order not to break these norms, we sometimes pretend to step on eggshells.”

We are social beings. Even unpleasant conversations are good for our well-being.

But despite the awkward pauses, the missteps, and the uncertain footing, it’s good for us to talk to new people (even complete strangers we probably won’t see again). Studies show that even minimal social interactions (e.g. chatting with that stranger on the train) improve mood.

In one study, researchers randomly recruited people entering a crowded downtown Vancouver coffee shop and instructed some to try to strike up a conversation with the barista and others to be as efficient as possible when getting coffee. The former group reported leaving the cafe in a better mood and with a better sense of belonging to their community than the efficient group. (The study was published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science in 2013.)

It’s impossible to tell from the data how this mood-boosting strategy compares to other methods or how long the effects would last, says study co-author Elizabeth Dunn, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia ( Sandstrom was the other co-author). Author). “But it’s a low-hanging fruit.” The talks, Dunn adds, “They’re value assets.”

Many fear public speaking — and that can extend to one-on-one conversations.

But skipping the small talk and asking for their opinion or recommendation can get the ball rolling.

Use what you know about her to start a conversation or ask about her interests.

Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

LinkedIn influencer Bernard Marr originally published this post on LinkedIn.

Did you know that public speaking is often ranked as people’s greatest fear?

But while standing up on a stage in front of an audience can definitely be nerve-wracking, many people find starting a private conversation just as intimidating.

Maybe it’s the CEO of your company, a new colleague, the guy in the mail room, the IT girl, or a stranger on the street.

Whoever you want to talk to, there’s a way to start a conversation. And the best news is that it gets easier with practice.

Try these conversation starters to talk to absolutely anyone:

This article was co-authored by Klare Heston, LCSW. Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Masters of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-year postgraduate certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment (EMDR). This article has been viewed 240,034 times.

Article overview

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If you want to feel comfortable talking to someone, smile and make eye contact when you greet them. Greet the person in a friendly and open manner, e.g. B. “Hello, it’s so nice to see you!” or “How are you?” When the person speaks to you, try to match their tone and avoid questions or comments that might make the person uncomfortable, such as comments about their body or questions about their political or religious beliefs. Instead, stick to light-hearted topics like pets, hobbies, movies, and sports. Scroll down to find some common mistakes to avoid in conversations like: B. to surpass someone.

Reddit Talk is a new way for Redditors to participate in live audio talks – they can host AMAs or just hang out and have fun. Currently, a conversation can be hosted by mods or mod-approved Redditors in participating communities, or by some Redditors through their profile. If you are interested in hosting talks please let us know and we will be in touch.

In this article we cover:

How Reddit Talk works

There are four types of people in conversations, each with different roles and permissions:

Listeners can respond with emoji and text comments, or raise their hand to speak. Speakers can talk (duh), react with emojis, and mute/unmute themselves. Hosts can invite speakers and co-moderators, mute or remove speakers, remove Redditors from the talk, and end the talk. Community moderators have all the permissions that hosts have in a community conversation, even if they’re not hosting the conversation. They can also use their other moderation tools, for example to ban members from the community.

The basics:

Hosts can create conversations the same way they create a post. Hosts can invite up to 30 speakers or co-hosts. Speakers can mute themselves or be muted by the hosts while leading the discussion. Listeners can tune in and respond live with emoji or text comments on mobile and web. Hosts can also invite listeners to speak or co-moderate the talk.

Which communities host talks?

Examples of conversations include casual meetings (r/wallstreetbets, r/dadjokes, r/amitheasshole) with AMAs (r/cryptocurrency with Kevin O. Leary, r/relationship_advice with Kerry Cohen). Topics include:

Support and advice (e.g. r/relationship_advice, r/tifu )

(e.g. r/relationship_advice, r/tifu ) Finance and crypto (e.g. r/wallstreetbets, r/cryptocurrency)

(e.g. r/wallstreetbets, r/cryptocurrency) Share stories and knowledge (e.g. r/casualconversation, r/makenewfriendshere)

(e.g. r/casualconversation, r/makenewfriendshere) Sports, media and culture (e.g. r/movies, r/ marvelstudiosspoilers )

(e.g. r/movies, r/ ) Health and fitness (e.g. r/meditation)

Let us know if you would like to host speaking engagements in your community or through your profile.

Participate in a lecture as a listener

discover conversations

When a talk goes live, community members (if it’s a community talk) or Redditors who follow communities related to the talk’s topic will see a talk post on their home and community feeds and receive a notification that they can join. There’s also a live bar that highlights conversations at the top of the home page.

Invite others to a conversation

When you’re in a conversation, you can invite more people by:

Tap the share icon and copy a direct link to the lecture. Everyone you invite takes part in the lecture as a listener.

Respond during a call

During a lecture, listeners can interact through emoji reactions and text comments.

speaking during a conversation

Listeners can request the floor by tapping the raise hand icon. Once a host accepts a request, that person becomes the speaker.

While some Community Talks will become public posts in that Community (more on that below), some Community or User Profile Talks may be syndicated or otherwise distributed on a third-party platform (e.g., in the form of a podcast on Apple Podcasts or a simulcast ). on Discord). We will ask hosts to notify Redditors when a talk is or may be distributed off-platform by including the word podcast (or similar) in the talk’s post title. If you see a talk circulating outside of the platform but don’t want your voice to appear in the conversation, consider participating via text instead (e.g. by asking questions in the comments).

Lectures may be syndicated or distributed on the following third-party platforms:

sound cloud

youtube

discord

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

stapler

I listened to the radio

Pandora

Amazon Music

deezer

PlayerFM

Podhunter

Covered

pocket casts

turn on

cast box

RadioPublic

Listen to call recordings

Speakers will be recorded during presentations and recordings may be available as public posts. Reddit may also review recordings when something is reported as a policy violation and use recordings for marketing, analytics, and promotional purposes.

Participation in a lecture as moderator

If Reddit Talk has been enabled for your user profile, you can start a talk from there. Visit Hosting and Presenting a Talk on Reddit Talk on your profile to learn more.

frequently asked Questions

How do I turn on my device’s microphone so I can become a speaker?

To be able to speak in a conversation, your browser needs access to your device’s microphone.

To enable your microphone on a Mac:

Choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy

Select Microphone.

Check the box next to your browser.

To enable your microphone on Windows:

Select Start > Settings > Privacy > Microphone

Under Allow access to the microphone on this device, select Change and make sure that microphone access is enabled for this device.

In the microphone settings, go to Allow apps to access your microphone and make sure it is switched on.

Go to Choose which Microsoft apps can access your microphone and enable apps you want to use with it. For desktop apps, make sure Allow desktop apps to access your microphone is checked.

To enable your microphone on iOS:

Open settings

Go to Privacy > Microphone

Turn on Reddit

How to activate your microphone on Android:

Open settings

Go to Apps > Reddit > Permissions

Select Microphone and then select Allow

Are you having problems with your web browser? Select your browser below for troubleshooting help:

Can mods schedule conversations in advance?

Not yet, the ability to schedule a talk in advance is still under development. In the meantime, we’re working with hosts to promote conversations ahead of time through posts to share with their community and across social media.

Are conversations recorded?

Yes, conversations are recorded. The talks are public, so don’t forget that people will listen when you speak. We may need to review them for potential policy violations, analyze them to help us improve the product, or use them for marketing or promotional purposes. Recordings may also be available as public posts on Reddit once a talk ends. In addition, recordings may become a podcast and may be distributed by the host to third-party platforms.

are you a mod

Then visit our Mod Help Center to learn more about moderating a Reddit Talk.

Wikimedia project page

“WP:TP” redirects here. For template guidelines, see Help:Template

This page is about how talk pages work. For talk page etiquette, see Wikipedia:Talk Page Guidelines. For guidelines on user talk pages, see Wikipedia:User Pages

Talk pages (aka talk pages) are administrative pages where editors can discuss improvements to articles or other Wikipedia pages. The talk page associated with an article is named “Discussion:Example”, where “Example” is the name of the article. For example, the talk page for discussions about improvements to the Australia article is called Talk:Australia. The talk page associated with a page in another namespace is named by adding “talk” after the namespace label; For example, the talk page for Wikipedia:About is named Wikipedia talk:About.

When viewing an article (or other non-discussion page) on desktop Wikipedia, a link to the relevant discussion page appears in the Discussion tab at the top of the page. Click this tab to go to the talk page. On mobile Wikipedia, type “Talk:” and the article name in the search bar. (There are plans to provide easier call access on mobile devices.)

User pages also have associated talk pages (e.g. User Talk:Jimbo Wales for Jimbo Wales user page). When other editors need to contact you, they usually do so by leaving a message on your talk page. If someone left you a message this way, you’ll either see an orange informational notice the next time you log in or view a page on Wikipedia if you’re editing an IP address, or a red badge next to your username if you do this logged in.

Video of using a talk page, 2m 30s (8MB)

This introductory video covers: What are talk pages?

How to post a new message

deepening

key to a good discussion

Watch List 0:14

0:59

1:25

1:48

2:12

Location of the talk page tab (here on the Encyclopedia page

The location of the article discussion page in the Wikipedia mobile app (Android) usually appears in more options or at the end of the article labeled “Show discussion page” (here on the Giraffe page

When viewing an article (or any other non-discussion page), a link to the relevant discussion page appears in the Discussion tab at the top of the page. (Mobile version has a button below for logged in users, while apps may not have a link.) Click this tab to go to the talk page; You can then view and edit the talk page and its history if you want to add a question or comment.

If the “Discussion” link is red, it means that no discussion page has been started yet. Click the red link to start a discussion page for this article and follow the Start a New Thread instructions below. (It is also possible for a talk page to exist while the corresponding non-talk page is a red link; this often happens in the user area when a user has received messages from talk pages but has not yet started a user page.)

To return to the Articles page from the Talk page, use the left tab at the top of the page labeled Articles. For pages other than articles, this tab can say something else, like “User Page” or “Project Page”.

When you post a message on a talk page, you should always sign and date your comment so other editors can follow the thread of the conversation. To do this, just type four tildes (~~~~) at the end of your comment, or just click the signature button in the row of buttons above the edit box. Once you post the edit, it is automatically converted into a user signature with a link to your user page, your user talk page, and the date and time you saved your edit. (You can change the shape of your signature in your user settings.)

Code result ~~~~ Username (talk) 18:45, 30 Jul 2022 (UTC)

If you want to contribute without signing in, you should still sign your contributions regardless of whether you have an account. In this case, your IP address replaces your username and is associated with your post history.

To discuss a topic that isn’t already covered on the article or user talk page, start a new topic.

Click the New Section link at the top of the talk page.

Link at top of talk page. Be sure to enter a section heading in the Subject/Heading field with an appropriate title, preferably not something generic like “Question” or “Problem”.

Sign. Type four tildes (~~~~) at the end of your post, which will automatically add your username and date.

Click Publish Changes

A new section can also be started by editing the entire page or an existing section, going to a new line and typing ==Heading==, replacing “Heading” with an appropriate title, but make sure you start new discussions add at the end of the page. A new section automatically adds the heading to the Content field on pages with four or more sections.

To reply to an ongoing discussion:

Click the “Edit” link at the right end of the bar of the section you want to reply to.

Link at the right end of the bar of the section you want to reply to. Add your comment below the last entry in the discussion. If you want to reply to a specific comment, you can place your reply directly below. Use a colon (:) to indent your message and create a threaded message. See Indentation below for more information on indenting talk pages with colons.

see below for more information on indenting talk pages with colons. Sign. Enter four tildes (~~~~) which will automatically add your username and date.

Click Publish Changes

deepening

Indentation is used to keep talk pages readable. Comments are indented with one or more leading colons ( : ), where each colon represents one level of indentation. Each comment should be indented one level more than the comment it is replying to, which may or may not be the previous comment. For example:

Code Result == Header == The first comment in a section has no colons in front of it. ~~~~ : The answer to the first comment is indented by one level. ~~~~ ::The reply to the second comment should be indented one more level. ~~~~ ::Another reply to the second comment will also be indented one level further than the comment being replied to. ~~~~ : A subsequent reply to the first comment will be indented one level. ~~~~ Header The first comment in a section is not preceded by colons. Editor 1 (talk) 10:44, 21 September 2016 (UTC) The reply to the first comment is indented one level. Editor 2 (talk) 16:40, 21 Sep 2016 (UTC) The answer to the second comment should be indented one level more. Editor 1 (talk) 16:57, 23 September 2016 (UTC) Another reply to the second comment is also indented one level more than the comment being replied to. Editor 4 (talk) 08:27, 25 September 2016 (UTC) A subsequent reply to the first comment is indented one level. Editor 3 (talk) 03:15, 24 Sep 2016 (UTC)

Some pages (e.g. delete discussions) use asterisks (*) instead of colons for indentation. In general, colons and asterisks should not be mixed; If you see asterisks used on a page, use them as well. Complex discussions can mix them up (and numbered lists too); In such a case, avoid garbled list formatting with this simple rule of thumb:

Use the same indentation and list formatting as your answer, plus one level at the end of the indentation/list code. For example, in a complicated discussion, if you’re replying to something that starts with #:::*, just copy that and paste a :, resulting in #:::*: in front of your reply (or use #:: :** if you find it necessary that your answer starts with a bullet point).

Avoid double line breaks between indented lines of text as this can cause problems for screen reader software users (see Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Accessibility § Indentation).

When practicing these techniques, be sure to practice on a talk page, such as B. User talk: your username /Sandbox . The cascading style sheets for talk pages are different from articles, and the visual appearance of text in list format can be different. Also, : should not be used for visual indentation in articles, since it is actually markup specifically for description lists. (See Wikipedia:Manual of Style § Indentation for indenting single lines and blocks of text in articles; for block quotes, see Wikipedia:Manual of Style § Blockquotes.)

Additionally, to ensure clarity in a fast-paced or otherwise complex discussion, it is possible to use {{Reply To}} to make it clear who the comment is addressed to. This also has the added feature of leaving a notification for the other editor that you’ve replied to them.

response tool

The new “Answer Tool” was activated on March 7, 2022 for all desktop users, whether logged in or not. A [Reply] link now appears at the bottom of each signed comment to make it easier to post quick replies to an existing discussion. Any logged in user can log out by going to settings and deselecting.

As of March 2022, the answer tool will not be available for mobile users.

Started

Visual mode screenshot

At the bottom of each signed message is a [Reply] link. Click this link to reply to the message. A field for your answer will open. Enter your answer in the field. Your signature and date will be automatically added to your reply. When you’re ready to post your answer, click the Reply button.

features

Automatic signatures

Automatic indentation

Automatic live preview as you type

Automatic resolution of most editing conflicts

If it cannot resolve the editing conflict automatically, you will get an error message. (You can copy your comment and reload the page.)

In both Source and Visual modes, you can use keyboard shortcuts to create links, @mention the person you’re replying to, or add character formatting.

Keyboard shortcuts to cancel ( escape ) and post (e.g. ⌘ Command + Return )

) and items (e.g. + ) preference setting: your choice of whether to use it. Simply unsubscribe.

Visual mode toolbar

Keyboard shortcuts to link, ping, format, etc. in visual mode

Search tool to link and ping in visual mode

You can switch between visual and source editing modes.

Edits made with the Response tool are marked as such in Special:RecentChanges.

limitations

As of 2022, this tool does not work with multi-line templates or wikitext code that needs to be placed at the beginning of a line. (e.g. wikitext table syntax). You cannot switch to visual mode if your comment contains this syntax. See Response tool visual mode limitations .

. The reply tool only appears on: Pages in discussion namespaces Pages in namespaces that have been configured to show the Add Signature tool ( $wgExtraSignatureNamespaces ). For most Wikimedia wikis, these are the project and help namespaces. Pages that have added the Add Topic button manually with __NEWSECTIONLINK__

The reply tool is visible when it detects a link to a user account and a timestamp on the same line. Some custom signatures are not recognized. See Why can’t I reply to this comment?.

For help with a specific question you have about subscribing to conversations, please post it here: Talk:Talk Pages Project.

Notify other users

You can notify other editors in a discussion by linking to their user page in your post. To easily do this, you can use the {{Reply to|Username}} template, which renders @Username: For example, to reply and notify Editor 1, you should use the following code:

Code Result {{Reply to|Editor 1}} Message text. ~~~~ @Editor 1: Message text. Username (talk) 10:44, 21 Sep 2016 (UTC)

Make sure you sign your post in the same edit you use this template in, otherwise it won’t work. Note that you cannot directly type the “@” symbol to notify a user, you must use this template or manually create a wikilink to their user page.

You have new messages

The message notification as displayed to registered users in this image from The Editor’s Apprentice

You will be notified when someone else edits your user talk page or notifies you with the {{Reply To}} template. Since April 30, 2013, registered users have received this notification via the Wikipedia:Notification system (see image on the right); Unregistered users will still get notifications with the old orange bar. Registered users who want to add back the Orange Bar notification functionality can do so via this script.

For users not editing an account (unregistered users), the warning below will automatically appear on all pages until you view your user talk page. If you click “New Messages” you will be taken to the bottom of your talk page. If you click on “Last change” you will see the last change made to your talk page.

Subpages and Archiving

Sometimes certain topics generate disproportionate traffic on a talk page. It may be decided to move discussion of these topics to a sub-page of the talk page. To do this, create a page titled “Talk:Xxx/Yyy” where “Talk:Xxx” is the name of the main discussion page and “Yyy” is the topic of the sub-page. Leave a note at the top of the main discussion page linking to any sub-pages.

On talk pages that generate a lot of discussions, old discussions are often archived to keep the size of the talk page at a manageable level. This can be done either manually or with the help of a bot. An archive box with links to the discussion archives is usually placed at the top of the current discussion page.

Various talk page boxes and graphics

quotes

Sometimes it is necessary to display a sentence or paragraph from the article on the talk page so that other editors can easily understand what is being discussed. An easy way to do this is using the {{Quote frame}} or {{Quote}} templates:

Use {{Quote Frame|Quote passage from article.}} to create:

Quoted passage from the article.

Alternatively, use {{Quote Frames |Quote Text |Author |Source}} to create:

Quoted text

— author, source

The template {{Quote}} creates an indented quote without a box; Use {{Quote |Quote |”Source”}} to produce:

Text quoted – source

Alternatively, use {{Citation|Text quoted |Author |”Source”, Page XX}} to add an author and page number:

Text quoted — author, source, page XX

To quote another user directly, the {{Talkquote}} template places the quoted text in a green box, as in: {{Talkquote |Quoted text |Example |ts=12:00, 01 Jan 2000 (UTC)} } , which produces :

Quoted text

— User:Example 12:00, January 1, 2000 (UTC)

Boxing – general

Simple box (can also be used in the article):

Colored box (green – talk page only):

To keep a list of companion refs in the container, add the {{reflist-talk}} template just before the closing div tag; B. {{reflist-talk}}