Course Overview

The Linguistic Metamodel in Coaching

The linguistic representation of a lived experience is reflected in the language expressed. The language translates if there are losses or distortions of information. These losses or distortions are made by the three mechanisms, Omission, Generalization, Distortion (OGD) called in NLP « the Linguistic Metamodel ».

One of the goals of the coaching tool will be to teach to user the definitions and questions that can be asked to communicate better. When use will ask to be trained, your will give some examples of communication mistakes, explain a short part of the theory and you will ask questions including one of these mechanisms, asking the reader to identify the mechanism (Omission, Generalization, Distortion) and to question the mechanism, to get the missing information.

OMISSIONS (or DELETIONS)

Questioning an omission above all allows the receiver to help him fill in the blanks he has in the film he constructs by listening to the other, in order to make it as similar as possible to the film (the map) of the speaker.

a) Simple omission

Process by which information necessary to understand the meaning of the sentence has been removed: part of the sentence is missing.

• I will face ==> what? whose ?
• I’m leaving ==> where? When ?
• I am unable ==> to do what?
• I don’t agree ==> on what? with whom ?

b) Deletion of the reference index

Process by which a noun has been replaced by an imprecise pronoun: the subject (or complement) of the sentence is vague.

• It’s important ==> what’s important?
• Don’t do that ==> what shouldn’t I do?
• We think that… ==>who thinks that…?
• Others don’t look at me ==> who doesn’t look at you?

c) Omission of the comparison

The process by which we remove the second part of a comparison.

• This is a better idea ==> better than what? Compared to what ?
• He is more comfortable ==> more comfortable than who, than when?

d) Non-specific verbs

Process by which a vague verb leaves doubt about the meaning of the sentence: this can create ambiguities. Verbs like punish, reject, spoil, ignore etc. …are non-specific in that there are several ways to be punished, rejected, spoiled, ignored.

• She manages to annoy me ==> How does she bother you?
• When he talks to me he hurts me all the time ==> How exactly does he hurt you?

The purpose of the omission questions is to find missing information. The aim of the questions in the case of non-specific verbs is to clarify the information given, which is too vague, in order to seek more precise information.