Can keep up a fluent conversation on abstract and complex topics, using a variety of devices to structure and emphasise discourse
Discourse structuring in conversation
Vocabulary
to hit the nail on the head — pôr o dedo na ferida
With that question, he hit the nail on the head of the debate.
Com aquela pergunta, pôs o dedo na ferida do debate.to steer the discussion to a good conclusion — levar a discussão a bom porto
The moderator steered the discussion to a good conclusion without hurting anyone.
A mediadora levou a discussão a bom porto sem ferir ninguém.to follow the thread of the conversation — acompanhar o fio da conversa
It is hard when everyone speaks at once.
Custa acompanhar o fio da conversa quando todos falam ao mesmo tempo.beside the point — tangente ao assunto
The remark was , but useful.
A observação era tangente ao assunto, mas útil.to switch register — mudar de registo
He knew how when the boss came into the room.
Soube mudar de registo quando o chefe entrou na sala.to keep the ball rolling — dar o daí venham
With good questions, he kept the ball rolling in the conversation.
Com boas perguntas, deu o daí venham à conversa.
Grammar
Cleft and inversion for rhetorical conversation
Combining cleft sentences with fronting so that the turning point of a spoken contribution stands out, e.g. 'what happened was' core with emphasised continuation
- What we saw at the meeting was rare courage.
- And it was not the crisis, mind you, that was the bigger obstacle.
Cultural notes
British conversation marks emphasis through clefting and topicalisation rather than strong assertion; the peak is often signalled with a minimal marker such as 'mind you' while the content stays understated.