Originally Posted by Trollheart

It's not so much a bitch but a question. I noticed it yesterday on the bus but I do it all the time myself. If you're in a telephone (or even face to face) conversation with someone who is basically driving the conversation and you're reduced to saying "yeah" at appropriate junctures, do you get worried that just saying "yeah" is a) going to seem like you don't really care about what they're saying b) going to seem rude, that you're not making an effort or c) just seem repetitive? Do you start to vary it with "uh-huh?", "Is that so?" "I know what you mean" and so on?

This is very much assuming not that you're not bothered with the conversation but that you can't get a word in edgewise. Does it bother people to be reduced to essentially a nodding head, or does it matter? Do you think the other person is at fault for not taking a moment to let you speak your piece, or are you for not pushing into the conversation and taking a more active role? Or is there anything wrong with this?

It definitely worries me when all I can say is "yeah" and I do try to at least vary my responses, but in the case of a conversation with my 95-year old aunt, even if I say something she often doesn't hear it and just ploughs on, so I usually just keep "nodding".

Is this any sort of an issue for anyone? I know, first world problem and all that, and it's not even important, but I just wondered what people think, if anything, or am I the only one?