Neuro Linguistic Programming

Chapter 16: Hypnotising Your Audience 253

reduce the detail, deliberately adopting vague language that can be acceptable
to different people. Table 16-1 outlines the main differences between these
two models.

Table 16-1 Milton Model versus Meta Model

Milton Model Meta Model

Makes language more general Makes language more specific

Moves from surface structure to deep

structure

Moves from deep structure to surface

structure

Looks for general understanding Looks for precise examples

Aims to access unconscious resources Aims to bring experience to conscious

awareness

Keeps client internally focused Keeps client externally focused

Comparing language patterns and the Milton Model

In Table 16-2, we highlight some of the key language patterns of the Milton
Model. Just as in the Meta Model – Bandler and Grinder’s earlier explanation
of language – the Milton Model identifies three key types of pattern. You see
the same deletions, generalisations, and distortions that happen in normal
speech (which we explain in full in Chapter 15) – the ways in which people
make sense of their everyday experiences and transform them into language.

Table 16-2 NLP Milton Model Patterns

Patterns Examples of the Vague Language

You Can Use to Challenge Deletions,

Generalisations, and Distortions and

Take a Person into a Receptive State

Deletion

Simple deletion (misses out part of the

message)

You’re ready to listen

Unspecified verbs (doesn’t say how the

action is carried out)

As you make sense of this in your own

time...

(continued)