What are Predicates?

In a recent Blog about Representational System Preference it was discussed that everyone will have a primary representational system for the processing of information. The primary representational system can be visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), kinesthetic (feeling) and auditory digital (self-talk).

A person’s primary representational system can largely be picked up by the words and phrases they use. These groups of words are often referred to as predicates. Predicates are the verbs, adverbs and adjectives used by a person to presuppose one of the major representational systems. Next time you are speaking with someone and you are listening to what they are saying notice that there are times when a majority of the predicates he/she uses refers to one system more often than others. These can be visual, auditory, kinesthetic or auditory digital. The use of predicates is occurring at an unconscious level.

The following phrases are examples of predicates used by each representational system.

Visual: common phrases including “beyond a shadow of a doubt”, “bird’s eye view”, “catch a glimpse of”, “in light of”, “short sighted”, “paint a picture”, “sight for sore eyes”, “tunnel vision”, or “up front”.

Auditory: phrases used by this representational system can include, “clear as a bell”, “give me your ear”, “hold your tongue”, “loud and clear”, “manner of speaking”, “pay attention to”, “purrs like a kitten”, “to tell the truth”, “tongue tied”, “voiced an opinion” or “word for word”.

Kinesthetic common phrases include: “all washed up”, “chip off the old block”, “come to grips with”, “get the drift of”, “heated argument”, “keep your shirt on”, “pain in the neck”, “sharp as a tack” and “smooth operator” or “stiff upper lip”.

Auditory digital representational system will often use a combination of all the previously mentioned systems and some common predicate phrases are: “describe in detail”, “figure it out”, “make sense of”, “and pay attention to” or “without a doubt”.

These representational systems indicates the process by which people will create their models of the world (e.g. make sense of their environment) and provide you as the listener with a format by which you can understand how and what they experience.

After reading this Blog, have a conversation with a family member, a colleague or a client and notice their primary representational system by listening to the major predicates they are using. By understanding the other person’s primary representational system you can speak to the other person by using his/her own “language” and through this you will create greater rapport and trust in the relationship.