Reality Reconstruction

Presuppositions Final Wrap Up

This is the final article in the series on linguistic presuppositions, those powerful language patterns that you can use to conversationally persuade others.

There won’t be any new patterns here, just a couple of tips on how to practice them so you can quickly become proficient and start using them in your daily conversations without even thinking about them.

The best way to think of learning these, or any other language pattern, is to treat them like a sport, or a foreign language. The only real way to become proficient is to drill them like you would any new martial arts move.

The best way to drill linguistic presuppositions is to write them out, longhand. The best way to do that is to take an idea that you would like to focus on, and for each of the twenty eight presuppositions, write at least ten or twenty sentences involving that particular presupposition, and your chosen idea.

This will take some time, so give yourself a few weeks to really practice these so you can become proficient. It may seem like a lot of work, but the opportunities that will present themselves once you master these patterns will more than make up for it.

What I usually do is to get an empty notebook, head on over to Starbucks, and sit and write for an hour or so on the weekends, or thirty minutes here or there whenever I have time.

You’ll find a couple of interesting things happening. Firstly, you’ll start using these in your conversations and writings without really thinking about them.

Second, you’ll notice other people’s communication takes on a whole new depth of meaning. You’ll be able to listen to a couple having a conversation and know exactly what is going on below the surface.

You’ll develop a kind of X-ray communication, where you’ll be able to see below the surface structure of the communication of others and read their intentions like never before.

Even if you never plan on using these for persuasion, by writing them out and training your ears to hear them in the words and communications of others is well worth the effort. You’ll literally be able to read others like a book, and will find yourself with a whole new level of social communication skills.

A great way to have some fun with these patterns is to go online into any of the millions of forums out there and use these patterns to argue your point, whatever that may be.

If you really want to develop some mental flexibility, argue both sides of an issue, either on different forums, or with different user names. By arguing both sides of an issue you’ll really develop the intellectual elasticity that will be unbeatable when it comes to persuasion.

Of course, if you have any questions or comments, please drop me a comment and I’ll respond accordingly.