Much of ordinary conversation is not information at all. It is two people establishing that they see something the same way. This class gives you the machinery of agreement: simple yeses, emphatic ones, and the tag -അല്ലോ, which turns any statement into a shared observation and invites agreement. Then the shared complaint, which is a bonding act: the heat, the rain, the traffic, prices, power cuts. You also learn the one firm limit, when to deflect rather than agree with a sweeping complaint about a place or its people, and how to disagree softly. Words and phrases in this class: ശരിയാണ് (shariyaanu) – that's true എനിക്കും അങ്ങനെ തോന്നുന്നു (enikkum angane thonnunnu) – I think so too തീർച്ചയായും (theerchayaayum) – certainly സംശയമില്ല (samshayamilla) – no doubt അതാണ് ഞാനും പറയുന്നത് (athaanu njaanum parayunnathu) – that's what I'm saying too നല്ല ചൂടാണല്ലോ (nalla choodaanallo) – it's really hot, isn't it വില കൂടിയല്ലോ (vila koodiyallo) – prices have gone up, haven't they നല്ല ബ്ലോക്കാണ് (nalla blockaanu) – the traffic is terrible കറന്റ് പോയല്ലോ (current poyallo) – the power has gone, hasn’t it എന്ത് ചെയ്യാം (enthu cheyyaam) – what can be done പഴയതുപോലെ അല്ല (pazhayathupole alla) – it's not like it used to be എല്ലായിടത്തും അങ്ങനെയാണ് (ellaayidathum anganeyaanu) – it's like that everywhere എനിക്ക് അങ്ങനെ തോന്നുന്നില്ല (enikku angane thonnunnilla) – it doesn't seem so to me In this class: • Simple and emphatic agreement • -അല്ലോ: the small tag that opens conversations • Safe shared complaints, and the responses that go with them • When to deflect instead of agreeing, and how to disagree softly Quizzes below. Dr. Reshmi R Nair — SpeakMalayalam.