"Thishouseisalwaysamess"translatedintoMartianmeans"TodayIfeellikerelaxing,butthehouseisso
messy.IamfrustratedandIneedarest.Ihopeyoudon'texpectmetocleanitallup.Wouldyouagree
withmethatitisamessandthenoffertohelpcleanuppartofit?"
Withoutthistranslation,whenawomansays"Thishouseisalwaysamess"amanmayhear"Thishouseis
amessbecauseofyou.I doeverythingpossible to cleanitup, andbeforeI havefinished, you have
messeditupagain.YouarealazyslobandIdon'twanttolivewithyouunlessyouchange.Cleanupor
clearout!
"Noonelistenstomeanymore"translatedintoMartianmeans"IamafraidIamboringtoyou.Iamafraid
youarenolongerinterestedinme.Iseemtobeverysensitivetoday.Wouldyougivemesomespecial
attention?Iwouldloveit.I'vehadaharddayandfeelasthoughnoonewantstohearwhatIhavetosay.
Would you listentomeand continuetoaskmesupportivequestionssuchas:'Whathappenedtoday?
Whatelsehappened?Howdidyoufeel?Whatdidyouwant?Howelsedoyoufeel?'Alsosupportmeby
sayingcaring,acknowledging,andreassuringstatementssuchas:'Tellmemore'or'That'sright'or'Iknow
what you mean' or 'I understand.' Or justlisten, and occasionally when I pause make oneof these
reassuring sounds: 'oh’, ‘humph’, ‘uh_huh’, and 'hmmm."' (Note: Martians had never heard of these
soundsbeforearrivingonVenus.)
Withoutthistranslation,whenawomansays"Noonelistenstomeanymore"hemayhear"Igiveyoumy
attentionbutyoudon'tlistentome.Youusedto.Youhavebecomeaveryboringpersontobewith.I
wantsomeoneexcitingandinterestingandyouaredefinitelynotthatperson.Youhavedisappointedme.
Youareselfish,uncaring,andbad."
"Nothingisworking"translatedintoMartianmeans"TodayIamsooverwhelmedandIamsogratefulthat
Icansharemyfeelingswithyou.Ithelpsmesomuchtofeelbetter.TodayitseemslikenothingIdo
works.Iknowthatthisisnottrue,butIsurefeelthatwaywhenIgetsooverwhelmedbyallthethingsI
stillhavetodo.WouldyougivemeahugandtellmethatIamdoingagreatjob.Itwouldsurefeelgood."
Withoutthistranslation,whenawomansays"Nothingisworking"amanmayhear"Youneverdoanything
right.Ican'ttrustyou.IfIhadn'tlistenedtoyouIwouldn'tbeinthismess.Anothermanwouldhavefixed
things,butyoumadethemworse."
"Youdon'tlovemeanymore"translatedintoMartianmeans"TodayIamfeelingasthoughyoudon'tlove
me.IamafraidIhavepushedyouaway.Iknowyoureallydoloveme,youdosomuchforme.TodayI
amjustfeelingalittleinsecure.Wouldyoureassuremeofyourloveandtellmethosethreemagicwords,
Iloveyou.Whenyoudothatitfeelssogood."
Withoutthistranslation,whenawomansays"Youdon'tlovemeanymore"amanmayhear"Ihavegiven
youthebestyearsofmylife,andyouhavegivenmenothing.Youusedme.Youareselfishandcold.You