A “tag question” is a question tagged on to the end of a statement: It’s a nice day today, isn’t it? Note that when the tag has “question inflection” (voice tone up), it calls the preceding statement into question. It invites those who are listening to question the statement. When the tag is given a “statement inflection” (voice town down), it has the opposite effect. It gives the preceding statement a sense of completion and tends to preclude disagreement.
This is a wonderful technique for controlling emphasis in your communication, especially with your patients or clients. You may want to plan and practice tag questions for situations you encounter with regularity so that you can alter your voice tone appropriately.
Avoid this: You can relax while I take your blood pressure, can’t you? [voice tone up]
Say this: You can relax while I take your blood pressure, can’t you…. [voice tone down]
Voice tone up on a tag question basically cancels what was said first. Voice tone down emphasizes it.
Say this: It doesn’t seem to make good sense to choose a treatment that is not working just because it is covered by insurance, does it…. [voice tone down]
Say this: It makes good sense to choose a treatment that works, doesn’t it…. [voice tone down]
Say this: Exploring other options just makes sense, doesn’t it…. [voice tone down]
When you want to call something into question, use voice tone up.
Say this: You are thinking that surgery is your only option, aren’t you? [voice tone up]
Send your questions about how other-than-conscious communication skills can hurt or help your patients and clients to Joel P. Bowman (Joel@SCS-Matters.com) or Debra Basham (Debra@SCS-Matters.com), co-developers of Subtle Communication Systems. We will provide answers to those for you. For more information about Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy, or about the Imagine Healing Process, visit:http://ImagineHealing.info or http://SurgicalSupport.info.
Healing with Language: Your Key to Effective Mind-Body Communication is available for a limited time for $10 plus $5 shipping within the U.S. For volume orders and overseas shipping, check with Debra.
See the Table of Contents and List of Exercises in PDF format for more information about this comprehensive text and training manual.