Which term describes the process of asking for clarification to reach mutual understanding?

• A. Negotiation of meaning
• B. Translation
• C. Glossing
• D. Paraphrasing

Answer: (A)

Negotiation of meaning focuses on how people co-create understanding in conversation by asking for clarification, confirming interpretations, and adjusting what they say until both sides share the same sense of what’s being communicated. When something isn’t clear, you might ask for elaboration, restate what you think you heard, or check if your interpretation matches the speaker’s intent. This active back-and-forth helps prevent miscommunication by turning ambiguous messages into mutual understanding.

Translation moves content from one language to another, glossing provides brief explanations or clarifications often used for learners, and paraphrasing is restating ideas in different words—useful for showing understanding but not inherently about the interactive process of resolving confusion to reach shared meaning.