logic problem

[Claradai]

Recently, I feel I have a serious problem. When I talk to people, I can't express my idea clearly right away. Maybe my logic is so bad. I want to improve my logic ability, what can I do ?

 

[TheJoker]

Recently, I feel I have a serious problem. When I talk to people, I can't express my ideaclearly right away. Maybe my logic is so bad. I want to improve my logic ability, what can I do ?

What exactly do you mean? You can't express your thoughts?

If so you should read more books and use phrases from them?

 

[Raymott]

Recently, I feel I have a serious problem. When I talk to people, I can't express my ideaclearly right away. Maybe my logic is so bad. I want to improve my logic ability, what can I do ?

With talking, it's not as easy as with writing.
With writing, you need to read over what you've written, and try to pretend you have never seen the sentences before. Pretend you are someone else. Ask yourself what another person would understand from your words. If that is different from what you meant, then you need to change it.

In speaking, you could ask the hearer to paraphrase back to you what you said. If it's not what you meant, you should try to rephrase it until the person understands the exact message that you intend. You'll need to find someone with patience to do this with though!

Of course, you can also write short passages and post them here, and ask whether they sound logical, and if not, what errors you've made.

 

[Claradai]

With talking, it's not as easy as with writing.
With writing, you need to read over what you've written, and try to pretend you have never seen the sentences before. Pretend you are someone else. Ask yourself what another person would understand from your words. If that is different from what you meant, then you need to change it.

In speaking, you could ask the hearer to paraphrase back to you what you said. If it's not what you meant, you should try to rephrase it until the person understands the exact message that you intend. You'll need to find someone with patience to do this with though!

Of course, you can also write short passages and post them here, and ask whether they sound logical, and if not, what errors you've made.

monther language problems. for example, there is a sentence and the structure what I say or write, it is easy to understand for the people who use the same mother language with you because you have same culture,your logic may be like him or her. However , for a foreigner,both of you may have problems on conversation. Therefore, I want to find a way to break the distances between I and her.

 

[Claradai]

What exactly do you mean? You can't express your thoughts?

If so you should read more books and use phrases from them?

I can express what I thought, but I need to pay more time than ordinary people. It seems what I thought it is not like most people in this world. My friends say my character is too clueless. when we chat about one topic〈such as shopping〉, next second I will suddently change topic〈such as is there any homework today〉. do you think I ignore my friend and do not respect her? when I thought one thing , I will be eager to talk to people because I am afraid that I will forget.

 

[emsr2d2]

I can express what I thought, but I need to pay more time than ordinary people. It seems what I thought it is not like most people in this world. My friends say my character is too clueless. when we chat about one topic〈such as shopping〉, next second I will suddently change topic〈such as is there any homework today〉. do you think I ignore my friend and do not respect her? when I thought one thing , I will be eager to talk to people because I am afraid that I will forget.

It sounds like more of a concentration problem, than a language problem! When a conversation starts, make sure that you take note of the subject, listen to what other people are saying and don't worry so much about what you're going to say next, especially if it's not relevant. Try not to change the subject in the middle of a conversation - you're right, it can seem rude.

If something that you are thinking about is so important, then you won't forget it, but you can start a conversation about it later.

Maybe you could carry a small notebook with you all the time. When you think of something that you really want to talk about later, make a very quick note of the subject in the book and when it's appropriate, start talking about it.

 

[Raymott]

mother language problems. for example, there is a sentence and the structure what I say or write, it is easy to understand for the people who use the same mother language as you because you have same culture,your logic may be like his or hers. However, for a foreigner, both of you may have problems on conversation. Therefore, I want to find a way to break the distances between me and her.

Are you saying that you don't have trouble with your mother language? And you do have trouble communicating in English because English-speaking people use a different logic and a different culture?

I don't know if this is necessarily true. Certainly, it has been found in academic papers that English-speaking people do use a more direct, linear mode of communication, whereas Chinese writers tend to be more discursive. But other Chinese students here seem to cope with English logic fairly well, and some are more logical than native speakers.
I still think it's a case of choosing your words better, to express exactly what you intend. It would be easier to give you some advice if you could give specific examples of where you are not being understood.

 

[Claradai]

Are you saying that you don't have trouble with your mother language? And you do have trouble communicating in English because English-speaking people use a different logic and a different culture?

I don't know if this is necessarily true. Certainly, it has been found in academic papers that English-speaking people do use a more direct, linear mode of communication, whereas Chinese writers tend to be more discursive. But other Chinese students here seem to cope with English logic fairly well, and some are more logical than native speakers.
I still think it's a case of choosing your words better, to express exactly what you intend. It would be easier to give you some advice if you could give specific examples of where you are not being understood.

one time , I need to ask my english teacther a problem about homeworks. in that class he describe two kinds of homeworks (A homework and B homework) both of them we need to do. however, I have a problem on one of them(B homework).the B homework stipulate the pages between 7 pages and 12pages and I think teacther talks the context soon, I can't easily understand what he need us to do. Therefore, I asked him " sorry, I can't understand the homework about 7pages to 12pages.what kind of it?"However, he did not understand what I mean. he say you just do 7pages to 12 pages. I disappoint for my expressing. finally, my classmates help me express what I mean to teacther. Although it done, I still feel so embarrrassing.

 

[Claradai]

Are you saying that you don't have trouble with your mother language? And you do have trouble communicating in English because English-speaking people use a different logic and a different culture?

I don't know if this is necessarily true. Certainly, it has been found in academic papers that English-speaking people do use a more direct, linear mode of communication, whereas Chinese writers tend to be more discursive. But other Chinese students here seem to cope with English logic fairly well, and some are more logical than native speakers.
I still think it's a case of choosing your words better, to express exactly what you intend. It would be easier to give you some advice if you could give specific examples of where you are not being understood.

in fact, I also have trouble with my mother language. however. it is not more serious than my second language. therefore, I ask a problem about it.I agree with your point (English-speaking people do use a more direct, linear mode of communication, Chinese writers tend to be more discursive.)This is why I express a thought to English-speaking people seems stranger than other people.

 

[mmasny]

Did you try speaking more slowly? I'm not sure what your problem is exactly, but this can solve many of them.

 

[Raymott]

one time , I need to ask my english teacther a problem about homeworks. in that class he describe two kinds of homeworks (A homework and B homework) both of them we need to do. however, I have a problem on one of them(B homework).the B homework stipulate the pages between 7 pages and 12pages and I think teacther talks the context soon, I can't easily understand what he need us to do. Therefore, I asked him " sorry, I can't understand the homework about 7pages to 12pages.what kind of it?"However, he did not understand what I mean. he say you just do 7pages to 12 pages. I disappoint for my expressing. finally, my classmates help me express what I mean to teacther. Although it done, I still feel so embarrrassing.

So, you have trouble also in your native language. And your friends can both understand and express things that you have trouble with? Then it doesn't sound like a cultural problem.
Do you have the same degree of trouble with reading and writing? I think, from memory of your earlier posts, you probably do. But your above post is logical and not too hard to understand.
As the others have said, it does not sound like something you can overcome easily. However, you may actually find that you can think better in English when you have progressed a bit further with it.

 

[Claradai]

Did you try speaking more slowly? I'm not sure what your problem is exactly, but this can solve many of them.

I'm agree with you, maybe some problems on it. I have a part time job about eating. Even time I need to speak slowly when I talk to guest or they can not understand what I say.

 

[Claradai]

So, you have trouble also in your native language. And your friends can both understand and express things that you have trouble with? Then it doesn't sound like a cultural problem.
Do you have the same degree of trouble with reading and writing? I think, from memory of your earlier posts, you probably do. But your above post is logical and not too hard to understand.
As the others have said, it does not sound like something you can overcome easily. However, you may actually find that you can think better in English when you have progressed a bit further with it.

so you means I need to modify what kinds of my word could be easy to understand before I speak.

 

[Raymott]

so you means I need to modify what kinds of my word could be easy to understand before I speak.

Yes. I've said that before. You also need to put yourself in the other person's position.
For example, in the above sentence, you could ask yourself, "I have made a statement and not used a question mark. Will this be taken as a question requiring an answer, or not?" I mean that type of thing.

 

[Claradai]

Yes. I've said that before. You also need to put yourself in the other person's position.
For example, in the above sentence, you could ask yourself, "I have made a statement and not used a question mark. Will this be taken as a question requiring an answer, or not?" I mean that type of thing.

OK. however, before solving the problem I need to read more books to raise my vocabularies or it is still difficult to use accurate words express what I want to say,isn't it.
all in all thanks for you to help me find an exit .