Contextual Clues

Remember contextual clues from school?  When you have to figure out the meaning of a word from the information around the word?  Well, most of the time I feel like I live contextual clues.  On a good day, I understand about 75% of what is said to me (either from missing vocabulary on my part or people talking too fast), so I have to put together the other 25% from what I do understand...... Sometimes I am correct and sometimes...... I am very wrong and sometimes I understand but still have questions....

http://www.ialf.edu/dpdf/april05page7.html

Additionally is the cultural aspect- just because I understand the words, doesn't mean I understand.  How many times when you have a conversation at work with your boss or an employee, especially over something very tricky and you think through it and make sure you phrase things just right- use just the right words so that your true meaning is understood.  There are little nuances in any language that say more than just the words spoken.  Currently, I am learning to understand as well as increase my comprehension and read into contextual clues through more than just the words.
 

I (Tracy) have been the laboratory director at the hospital since August and it has been wonderful for my language skills and has really truly shown me just how much I don't understand about the cultural aspect of the work environment.  So.... I will continue to fumble, ask lots of questions and hopefully grown leaps and bounds in an amazingly short period of time (I can dream, can't I) but more importantly through it all, show God's love and grace to those I work with, because after all, the rest is just the details.


Just as long as I don't turn into this person, I think we are going to be alright......