Small talk: a lot of blarney?

Blarney is a word that can mean flattery or nonsense, or in other words, flattery that is nonsense. A person who does this a lot is said to be "full of blarney". Small talk, on the other hand, is talking with a stranger in the hopes of either passing time or, more likely, making a connection between the two people. Flattery or nonsense are rarely involved. However, with St. Patrick's Day coming up, here are some tips on making small talk anyway. If you are in the midst of a conversation with a stranger and want to prolong it, a way to do this is to ask him or her to tell you more about the subject under discussion. If appropriate, ask a question, to show you are interested. If you want to leave the conversation, and only two of you are talking, give a reason so you have a stronger exit line. "It's been nice talking to you, but I need to go (to meet more people, to go out with my friend, etc)." If you want to connect with the person some other time, you could give him your business card, or simply write your e-mail or telephone number on a scrap of paper. "Small Talk:Connecting with Others" is a concise e-book that offers tips on starting, continuing and ending a conversation graciously. Small talk has big value; learn how to do it today!