tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1812497517899109657.post4903000841813238589..comments2023-12-07T11:13:45.604-05:00Comments on Tomorrow's Theme: i'm sorry and i'm sorryThemer of the futurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01456548604055329899noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1812497517899109657.post-35286033888340630882011-04-23T14:30:17.409-04:002011-04-23T14:30:17.409-04:00You've obviously devoted a lot of thought to t...You've obviously devoted a lot of thought to this phrase's limitations as an expression of sympathy. Great observations, yet at the same time I think there are plenty of viable options in English. The main thing is to convey (with body language AND words) that you're attentive, receptive, and available to the person in that moment. In the coworker example, something like "Wow. That's heavy, man" with a shoulder pat or other sympathetic physical contact. Then quiet attention in case the person has more to say, or a few check-in questions like "How are you doing with the whole thing?" and/or "Gonna be ok?" Even just adding a few words to "I'm sorry" can work, e.g. "I'm so sorry to hear that". <br /><br />Of course you could always just start bowing, but for most Westerners the only value would be a possible mood lift from the ensuing laughter.Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03663796798071218905noreply@blogger.com