When to say "Does that make sense"?

[0915reg]

Dear all:

An American enginner in our company sometimes says Does that make sense? after he explains me something.

Why doesn't he say "Get it? / Are you clear? / Understand?"....
Can make sense be used in that case?

Thanks.

[Alan]

Hi,

There are many ways you can ask someone if they've understood what you've said/explained. Does that make sense? has two sides to it and is a sympathetic way of asking (1) Do you understand? and (2) Have I explained it all right?

Alan
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[Torsten]

Hi Reg,

In addition to Alan's explanation I'd like to point out that your sentence should read .... after he explains something to me.

Regards,
Torsten
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[Jamie (K)]

I would add that, "Get it?" and, "Understand?" can be too impolite. He is not asking if you're smart enough to understand his explanation, but whether he has explained well enough.

"Are you clear?" would not be English.

[0915reg]

Sorry, it should be "Is that clear?".

[Jamie (K)]

"Is that clear?" could also sound impolite.

When English speakers are angry, they are liable to say, "Get it?" "Understand?" or, "Is that clear?" Sometimes we say them when we're not angry, but there's always a chance that the person listening to us will understand them as being angry or impatient questions.

When the engineer asks you, "Does that make sense?" what he is really saying is, "I know that you're an intelligent person, so if you don't understand what I've just explained, it means my explanation wasn't clear. Please tell me whether I have explained well enough."

He is trying to be polite and respectful to you.

[Mister Micawber]

.
And it seems that the engineer has had a SEX CHANGE, so s/he might be a bit ambiguous.
.
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[Tom]

[0915reg]

Thank you all.

Mr. Micawber is funny...