Paraphrase of Tannen's "Say Back to Source"
The following passage is from an article by linguist Deborah Tannen on the complexity of communication within families:
Through talk, we create and shape our relationships. through talk, we are comforted; through take we are hurt. We look to family members for come-as-you-are-acceptance, but instead of an intimate ally, we sometimes find an intimate critic. A small remark can spark a big conflict because with the family, no utterance stands alone. Every remark draws meaning for innumerable conversations that come before.