a couple reported their own experience: They were taking out-of-town visitors to dinner; the husband was driving, and talking. As they drove past a building that the wife recognized as the one on the cover of the local telephone book, she tossed in a comment to that effect. The husband stopped talking and refused to go on, punishing her for interrupting. The wife said to him, “You heard what Dr. Tannen said. I’m just showing enthusiasm. Why don’t you talk over me?” He responded, “I don’t want to be a competitive talker.” Even though he understood the mechanism of what was going on, he didn’t
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