Number one (explicit “end of message” signals) is really interesting, because it changes the dynamics of conversation completely: for the listeners, because they are not allowed to interrupt; for the speaker, because they must form complete thoughts more deliberately.
Some people comically ramble for some time and then peter out. Now it falls on some gentle soul to give them a polite reminder. (Suggested: “is that all?”—but really wait until it’s clear that was all.) But when that has happened to you once, you pay more attention to the next time.
If there is a moderator in the conversation, this convention makes things much easier for them, giving them natural occasions to redirect the flow of conversation and to balance “air time” between people who ramble and those who tend to stick to the point.
It may be possible to combine this convention with the OP’s suggestion, e.g. a hand signal with the previously and explicitly agreed meaning of “I think you are rambling, or otherwise not adding much”.
If you have to pick one of the above ideas as most useful, which would it be?
Number one (explicit “end of message” signals) is really interesting, because it changes the dynamics of conversation completely: for the listeners, because they are not allowed to interrupt; for the speaker, because they must form complete thoughts more deliberately.
Some people comically ramble for some time and then peter out. Now it falls on some gentle soul to give them a polite reminder. (Suggested: “is that all?”—but really wait until it’s clear that was all.) But when that has happened to you once, you pay more attention to the next time.
If there is a moderator in the conversation, this convention makes things much easier for them, giving them natural occasions to redirect the flow of conversation and to balance “air time” between people who ramble and those who tend to stick to the point.
It may be possible to combine this convention with the OP’s suggestion, e.g. a hand signal with the previously and explicitly agreed meaning of “I think you are rambling, or otherwise not adding much”.