I Only Say This Because I Love You

I Only Say This Because I Love You How the Way We Talk Can Make or Break Family Relationships Throughout Our Lives

Paperback (07 Aug 2003)

Not available for sale

Publisher's Synopsis

Why does talk in families so often go in circles, leaving us tied up in knots? Linguist Deborah Tannen reveals why talk among adult family members so often leads to arguments and hurt feelings. Learn to separate the word meaning, or 'message' from the heart meaning, or 'metamessage' - the unstated but powerful meaning that comes from the history of our relationships in the family, where our hopes for being understood and our experience of criticism can painfully meet. Using real conversations from the lives of real people, Tannen shows us how talk in a family is a high-wire act as we balance connection and power, struggling to get close without giving up our freedom. By helping us understand what conversations in the family really mean, she shows how to improve relationships with family members throughout our lives.

Book information

ISBN: 9781860499814
Publisher: Little, Brown
Imprint: Virago
Pub date:
DEWEY: 306.87
DEWEY edition: 21
Language: English
Number of pages: 338
Weight: 422g
Height: 210mm
Width: 150mm
Spine width: 22mm