I’ll often times find myself in conversations that get to a topic I know very little or nothing about. When this happens I feel like I am regulated to only asking questions and making simple statements like “That sounds fun” or “Wow, I bet that’s interesting.” If I can, I will give story that may be tangential to the subject, but that’s uncommon and sometimes seen as changing the conversation too abruptly.

How can I improve my conversation skills when a topic like this makes it way into the conversation for extended periods of time? I am already considering quiet in conversation, but I’m forced to be even more so when I know nothing of the topic.

11 comments

  1. Asking questions still helps you participate in the convo so you’re not too quiet or seem disinterested. It helps you find out more about the subject so now you walk away knowing a little more about it! It shows you’re curious and genuinely interested in learning, as long as you really do care about the subject lol

  2. Ask to understand better if you care so clarifying questions or simply don’t engage if you don’t find it intetesting.

    1 thing not to do is ignore & change the subject.

  3. Learn more topics, and see these as an opportunity to learn about it. As long as you’re genuinely interested in the person/topic it’ll be fun, and you’ll be participating.

  4. 1. Be curious. Form questions like, ‘ what’s X Thing ?’, or ‘ you know about the X Thing ?’

    2. Ask as if you heard a rumor. ‘ I heard A…. B. Is it True ? ‘

    3. Ask to be more precise about a thing. ‘ So how does X thing work or happen ?’

  6. “Fascinating, that reminds me of XYZ” (this one sometimes allows you to steer the direction of the conversation, if you want it)

    “Whoa, how exactly does the Y part of XYZ work though?”

    “What I find intriguing is XYZ because not a lot of sports have that rule/phenomenon” (or because that’s actually the case in a lot of sports/hobbies/whatever)

    “Do you also like XYZ?” (Something *vaguely* related to the topic)

  7. Be honest and admit that you don’t know much about XYZ subject but would love to learn more, and ask if they can tell you more about it. People love to talk about things they enjoy.

  8. Ask questions! I always tell my kids curiosity is the highest form of intelligence. People love it when you ask about them or something they enjoy or are knowledgeable about. 🙂

  9. I am very honest about it. “I’ll be honest. I have no idea about any of what you’re talking about. But yoy seem into it so can you tell me more?” And after getting more information i make statements where i rephrase what they say to try and understand what they are talking about, and then i start drawing my own conclusions and offering suggestions about the topic.

  10. following…see this a lot with sports

    idgaf about them. i’m not interesting in learning more. but if i wanted to try and be polite and ask i would get shit on for being a girl that knows nothing about sports

  11. Try to really listen and tie the info you are receiving into your own personal experiences. Say someone was telling you about skydiving and the thrill and rush. Think fast about something that gave you a rush and latch onto that feeling. It’ll put you in their head space to connect easier. You’ll subliminally be thinking in similar words and terms that they are which will give you that sense of conversational camaraderie.

    “That must have been so exhilarating. I’m getting goose bumps!”

    “What’s it like to touch the clouds?”

    “I hope you didn’t get a mouth full o bugs!!”

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