No taboos?

Experts in the US warn employees and managers to be very careful about talking about politics in the workplace. Ajilon Finance, a specialist recruiting company based in New Jersey, advises managers to avoid the topic completely, as political conversations create tensions and divisions which would probably not surface otherwise.

If the topic causes tensions with native speakers who work together regularly, then you can guarantee language learners will probably put their foot in it when they try to make polite small talk about the politics of a foreign country with the natives.

From all the positive press that Barack Obama has been getting, you may think that it would be safe to make comments on his election win. However, a lot of people did not vote for him — and are still not convinced that he is the right person for the job. So, unless you know your business partner well, it's probably best to avoid the topic. Most importantly, if you do discuss politics, don't get confrontational or personal.

So, what can you talk about? Religion? Taboo. Sex? Definitely off limits. Drugs? A no-no! Rock and roll? Now, you're talking! To music, add sports, food, arts and the weather, and you have plenty to talk about, as long as you remember not to start criticizing your partner's foreign culture. Basically, small talk is about building a better business relationship, which you can do by making polite noises, showing a real interest in people and finding some common ground.

We've created a special dialogue exercise using some useful small-talk expressions.

Deborah Capras