Deletions

Meta Model Distinctions – Gathering Information – Deletions

A Simple Deletion is a statement with missing or deficient information.

Examples of Simple Deletions are:

“I’m confused.”
“I am uncomfortable.”
“She’s unhappy.”

The Meta Model challenge to a Simple Deletion will recover the deleted information.

Ask “What are you ______ about?”

2. A Comparative Deletion is a verbal pattern where the standard of evaluation is missing in the surface structure.

Examples of Comparative Deletions are:

“She’s a better person.”
“It’s best to stay.”
“This means more than you think.”

The Meta Model challenge to a Comparative Deletion will recover the comparator.

Identify the comparator and add – “than what?”

3. An Unspecified Reference is a verbal pattern where the noun or object is not specified (unidentified pronoun).

Examples of Unspecified Reference are:

“People just don’t learn.”
“They don’t listen to me.”
“That doesn’t matter.”

The Meta Model challenge to an Unspecified Reference will recover what or who the referent is.

Ask: “Who or what specifically?”

4. An Unspecified Verb is a verbal pattern in which the verbs delete specifics about how, when and where, leaving the details of the action or relationship undefined.

Examples of Unspecified Verbs are:

“I have difficulty with communicating my feelings.”
“She rejects me.”
“They really hurt me.”
“I care about him.”

The Meta Model challenge to an Unspecified Verb will reconnect the speaker more completely to their experience by specifying the verb.

Ask: “How exactly?” or “Can you explain how specifically?”

5. An Abstraction (Nominalization) is a word that has been transformed from a process (verb) into a thing or event (noun), thus obscuring the process or action.

Examples of Abstractions are: