We trust you'll find this NLP glossary useful.
A
Accessing Cues
The external signals that provide us with information of our thinking patterns and representational systems, e.g. breathing, voice qualities and facial expressions.
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Analogue
Analogue distinctions have continuous variation, e.g. size, volume and pressure. This is as opposed to Digital.
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Analogue Marking
Using a verbal or non-verbal cue to mark out certain words or phrase in a sentence. Deliberately used when delivering an Embedded Command.
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Anchoring
The process of stimulus response, that occurs in any representation, internal or external. The stimulus gets connected and linked to and triggers a subsequent string of representations and responses, or State. Anchors can be set up naturally or deliberately.
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As-If Frame
This is “acting as if” something was true, such as pretending that you have achieved your Outcome or goal to provide the sensory based description of its successful completion.
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Associated
The connected relationship you have with the memory of an experience. When the event is seen ‘as if’ through your own eyes, as opposed to Dissociated.
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Auditory (A)
The Representational System dealing with hearing. It can be internal or external. Also known as Auditory Tonal (At).
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Auditory Digital (Ad)
The Representational System dealing with logic and the way we talk to ourselves.
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B
Backtrack Frame
To repeat or go back and summarise; review or contemplate what was previously covered, e.g. in a meeting.
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Behaviour
An external, verifiable activity we produce or engage in.
Beliefs
Generalisations we make about the world and our opinions about it. They form the rules and our permissions about what we can and/or cannot do.
Change techniques taught at Practitioner & Master Practitioner
Break State
Using a movement or distraction to change an emotional state.
Taught at Diploma, Practitioner & Master Practitioner
C
Calibration
The ability to notice and measure changes with respect to a standard. Usually involves the comparison between two different sets of external, non-verbal cues. By comparing, we can notice the difference between persons, places, things, states and behaviours. Successful calibrating relies on refined Sensory Acuity.
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Chaining Anchors
Sequencing a series of different states to achieve an outcome or install a new Strategy, e.g. chaining procrastination to a motivating state.
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Chunking
The process of changing a perception by moving a “chunk”, groups of information, to Deductive or Inductive conclusion through the use of skilful wording or questions.
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Circle of Excellence
Using an imaginary circle on the floor as a spatial anchor to install new or additional resources relative to a situation where different behaviour or thinking is wished.
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Complex Equivalence
This occurs when (1) you attach meaning to something specific and (2) when two statements, one behavioural and one capability, are considered to mean the same. A language pattern utilised in the Meta Model and Milton Model.
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Congruence
When behaviour (words, tonality, physiology, etc.) matches the words a person says.
Conscious
That of which we are currently aware, limited to between 5 and 9 chunks of information depending on our state of mind.
Conscious-Unconscious Integration
When thoughts and behaviours are integrated at both conscious and unconscious levels.
Content Reframe
Giving another meaning to a statement, by recovering more content which changes the focus. Also called a Meaning Reframe. E.g. No failure only feedback.
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Context Reframing
Giving another meaning to a statement by changing the context. E.g. All meaning is context dependent.
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Contrastive Analysis
This is a process of analysing two sets of Submodalities to discover the Critical Submodalities. Discovering what makes the two sets different.
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Criteria
An NLP word for values. Values are what is important to you and determine how you spend your time, money and energy.
Change techniques taught at Master Practitioner
Critical Submodality
In Submodalities, Critical Submodalities are the difference that makes the difference. Discovered through the process of Contrastive Analysis, Critical Submodalities account for the difference between two different internal representations. When Submodalities are compared through contrastive analysis, the Critical Submodalities are the Submodalities that are different.
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Cross Over Matching
Matching one aspect of a person’s external behaviour or physiology with a different physiological movement.
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D
Deductive
Reasoning from the general to the specific. To chunk down.
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Deep Structure
The unconscious basis for the surface structure of a statement. Much of the deep structure is out of awareness. The deeper underlying root cause, or meaning of a spoken word.
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Deletion
One of the three major processes (including Distortion and Generalisation) on which the Meta Model is based. Deletion occurs when we leave out a portion of our experience as we make our Internal Representations.
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Derivation
Obtaining information from the Deep Structure to create the spoken word.
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Digital
Digital distinctions have distinct variations of meaning as in a digital watch, or an on/off switch. This is as opposed to Analogue.
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Dissociated
The relationship you have with the memory of an experience that is at least once removed from its origins. Such as, when seeing your whole body in the representation.
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Distortion
One of the three major processes (including Deletion and Generalisation) on which the Meta Model is based. Distortion occurs when something is mistaken for that which it is not, when things are incorrectly included in our Internal Representations.
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Double Binds
Questions that create an illusion of “free choice” among two or more comparable alternatives. They are based on the notion of multilevel communication. Used frequently in sales.
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Downtime
Having all sensory inputs focussed inward. There will therefore be no attention available for outward attention.
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Drivers
The Submodality that makes the most difference in our meaning of an experience. It is so important that it changes all the other differences, the Critical Submodalities, with it.
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E
Ecology
The study of the consequences/results or impact of any change that occurs on the wider system.
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Elicitation
Inducing a state in a client, or gathering information by asking questions or observing the client’s behaviour. See Accessing Cues.
Embedded Command
A command that is inside a longer sentence marked out by voice tone or gesture.
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Embedded Question
A question that is inside a longer sentence marked out by voice tone or gesture.
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Eye Accessing Cues
Movements of the eyes in certain directions that indicate visual, auditory or kinaesthetic thinking.
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F
Feedback
The results of your actions to influence your next step.
First Position
This is one of the Perceptual Positions. First Position is when you are associated, looking through your own eyes, and in touch with only your own inner Model of the World.
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Fractionation
Repeating the induction of trance which deepens trance.
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Frame
The context or particular point of view around a specific experience.
Future Pace
Mentally rehearsing a future result so that the desired outcome automatically occurs.
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G
Generalisation
One of the three major processes (including Distortion and Deletion) on which the Meta Model is based. Generalisation occurs when one specific experience represents a whole class of experiences. Generalisation also occurs when one experience is generalised to the whole.
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Gestalt
A collection of memories around a certain topic.
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Gustatory (G)
The Representational System dealing with taste.
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H
Hallucination
Sensory experience of something that does not exist.
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Hypnotism
A relaxed state induced in a person so change work can be done at the subconscious or unconscious level.
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I
Incongruence
When the external, verifiable behaviour of a person does not match the words the person says.
Inductive
Drawing a general conclusion (abstract) from specific facts. Chunking up.
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Intent
The outcome or aim of a specific behaviour.
Internal Representations
The content of our thinking or the confirmation of information which includes Pictures, Sounds, Feelings, Tastes, Smells, and Self Talk.
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In Time
One of the Meta Programme filters of the relationship to Time. An In Time person will prefer to code their memories from front to back, up to down, in a ‘V’ or any arrangement where part of the past, present or future is behind or inside them.
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K
Kinaesthetic (K)
The Representational System dealing with feelings and sensations. It can be internal or external.
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L
Law of Dominant Effect
A suggestion is more effective when it is experienced simultaneously with a strong emotion.
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Law of Requisite Variety
In a given physical system, that part of the system with the greatest flexibility of behaviour will control the system.
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Leading
Changing or matching your own behaviour to gain enough rapport so another person will follow your lead.
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Lead System
The Representational System used to access stored information and lead it from the Unconscious Mind to the Conscious Mind. Watching Eye Accessing Cues discovers the Lead System. We look where the eyes go when someone accesses information.
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Limiting Belief
Beliefs or decisions we make about ourselves and/or our model of the world that limit the way we live our life.
Change techniques taught at Practitioner & Master Practitioner
Limiting Decision
The decision that preceded the adoption of a Limiting Belief.
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Logical Level
The level of specificity or abstraction. Think of logical levels as going up or down from Abstract at the top to Specific at the bottom.
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M
Mapping Across
Following a Contrastive Analysis, Mapping Across is the Submodality process of actually changing the set of Submodalities of a certain Internal Representation to change its meaning.
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Matching
Doing the same, copying or adopting the behaviour of the client or replicating exactly some aspect of a person’s physiology to gain rapport.
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Meaning Reframe
Giving another meaning to a statement by recovering more content which changes the focus. (Sometimes called a Content Reframe.)
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Meta
Something is meta to another if it is at a higher level, from the Greek “going beyond”.
Meta Model
A model of language, derived from Virginia Satir that gives us an “over” view of language. It allows us to recognise deletions, generalisations and distortions in our language, and gives us questions to clarify imprecise language and gain specificity.
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Metaphor
A story, parable or analogy that is symbolic and allows us to bypass the conscious resistance of the client and to have the client makes connections at a deeper level.
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Meta Position
A location outside a situation enabling you to view the situation in a more objective way. A dissociated position not involved with the content of the event or the person. Very similar to Third Position.
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Meta Programmes
These are unconscious, content-free programs we run which filter our experiences.
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Milton Model
The Milton Model is designed to produce trance or agreement. It is a series of abstract language patterns, which are ambiguous so as to match the client’s experience and assist in accessing unconscious resources. The Milton Model has the opposite intent of the Meta Model.
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Mirroring
Reflecting the behaviour or physiology of the client as if looking into a mirror, to gain a deep level of rapport.
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Mismatching
Using different patterns or contradictory responses regarding behaviour or words to interrupt communication.
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Modalities
Refers to our internal representations, which relate to the five senses (Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic, Olfactory, Gustatory) plus our internal dialogue.
Modal Operators
Modal Operator of Necessity form the rules in our lives (should, must, have to, etc.).
Modal Operator of Possibility denote that which is considered possible (can, want, etc.).
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Model
In NLP, a Model is a description of a concept or behaviour, which can be adopted easily.
Modelling
Modelling is the process by which all of NLP was created. Eliciting the Strategies, Filter Patterns (Beliefs and Values) and the Physiology that allows someone to produce certain behaviour. Coding these in a series of steps designed to reproduce the behaviour.
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Model of the World
A person’s values, beliefs and attitudes as well as their internal representations, states and physiology, that all relates to and creates their belief system of how the world operates.
N
Neuro Linguistic Programming
NLP is the study of excellence, which describes how the language of our mind produces our behaviour, and allows us to model excellence and to reproduce that excellent behaviour.
Nominalisation
A noun describing a state of being which exists in name only. Not a tangible item. Can be a verb or another process word that has been formed into an abstract noun.
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O
Olfactory (O)
The representational system dealing with smell.
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Outcome Orientation
Having a specific, sensory-based, desired result for the client. Having an end and an aim in mind.
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Overlapping Representational System
Moving from the Preferred Representational System to another Representational System. Sometimes known as Synaesthesia.
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P
Pacing
Gaining and maintaining rapport with another person over a period of time by joining them in their model of the world by Matching or Mirroring their external behaviour.
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Parts
Parts are a portion of the unconscious mind, often having conflicting beliefs and values that are different from the whole of the system.
Change techniques taught at Practitioner & Master Practitioner
Parts Integration
A technique, which allows us to integrate parts at the unconscious level by assisting each one to traverse logical levels by chunking up and to go beyond the boundaries of each to find a higher level of intention and wholeness.
Change techniques taught at Practitioner & Master Practitioner
Pattern Interrupt
Changing a person’s state. Can be abrupt. See Break State.
Taught at Diploma, Practitioner & Master Practitioner
Perceptual Position
Describes our point of view in a specific situation:
First Position is our own point of view.
Second Position is usually someone else’s point of view.
Third position is the point of view of a dissociated observer-much like an overview or meta-position.
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Personal Edit
Accessing your personal resources and making a change. See Self Edit.
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Phobia
A severe, associated, unwanted response of fear regarding some person or event in the past.
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Phonological Ambiguity
This occurs when there are two words which sound the same but have different meanings e.g. Our & Are
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Physiology of Excellence
Modelling excellence in others and utilising it in yourself and others.
Post-Hypnotic Suggestion
A hypnotic suggestion that activates and operates at a time after the induction of trance.
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Precision Model
Derived by John Grinder from the Meta Model as a series of five pointers to greater understanding.
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Predicates
Words and phrases (primarily verbs, adverbs and adjectives) that often presuppose one of the Representational Systems.
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Preferred Rep System
This is the representational system that someone most often uses to think, and to organise his or her experiences. This is the representational system that we commonly and most easily employ.
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Presuppositions
The assumptions that a client makes to support their model of the world. Presuppositions are what are necessarily true for the client’s belief systems to make sense and have meaning to the client.
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Presuppositions of NLP
Assumptions or convenient beliefs, which are not necessarily “true,” but which if accepted and believed will change our thinking and improve our results.
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Primary Rep System
This is how we represent our internal processing externally. Most people tend to favour one Representational System over another and process most communication in that manner.
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Projection
To attribute one’s ideas or feelings to other people or to another model of the world.
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Punctuation Ambiguity
An ambiguity, which is created by changing the punctuation of a sentence by pausing in the wrong place, or by running on two sentences.
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Q
Quotes
My friend, John, says that "This is a Linguistic Pattern in which your message is expressed as if by someone else".
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R
Rapport
The process of responsiveness, at the unconscious level. The ability to relate to others in a way that creates a climate of trust and understanding.
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Reference System
The base against what we calibrate. How we organise information so that we know what we know.
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Referential Index Shift
Finding someone else who has a way of thinking or a resource you wish to model (their Reference System), entering their model of the world and noting from their perspective and in all modalities the process and results of their thinking and/or action. Also making a change in the referential index (subject) of a sentence to create overload at the conscious level.
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Reframing
The process of making a shift in the nature of a problem or changing the structure or context of a statement to give it another meaning.
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Representation
A thought in the mind which can be comprised of Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic, Olfactory, Gustatory, and Auditory Digital (Self Talk).
Representational System
This is the way we code sensory information and experience our world. There is a representational system for each of our senses.
Resources
Resources are the means to create change within oneself or to accomplish an outcome. Resources may include certain states, adopting specific physiology, new strategies, beliefs, values or attitudes, even specific behaviour.
Resourceful State
This refers to any state where a person has positive, helpful emotions and strategies available to him or her, and is operating from them behaviourally. Obviously the state implies a successful outcome.
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S
Search Anchor
An anchor used to identify the source of a problem or issue. See Trace Anchor.
Secondary Gain
The reason/reward the client has or receives for not changing from a presenting problem or outside source.
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Second Position
Relating to a Perceptual Position: Second Position describes our point of view in a specific situation. Second Position is usually someone else’s point of view.
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Self Edit
Accessing your personal resources and making a change.
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Self Inventory
A Sensory Based internal scan.
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Sensory Acuity
The ability to notice and gain awareness of another person’s conscious and unconscious responses through their physiology.
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Sensory-Based Description
Is describing someone’s verifiable external behaviour in a way that does not include any evaluations or assumptions, but in a way that just relates the specific physiology.
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State
It is the internal, emotional condition of an individual made up of their internal representations and physiology. In NLP, our Internal Representations, plus our State, and our physiology results in our Behaviour, and so we are careful to be in states of excellence.
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Step Change Therapy™
A new and powerful way of aligning the neurological levels and your energy centres.
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Strategy
A specific, repeatable and anchored sequence of internal and external representations that leads to a particular outcome.
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Submodalities
These are fine distinctions (or the subsets of the Modalities V, A, K, O, G, and Ad) that are part of each representational system that encode and give meaning to our experiences.
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Surface Structure
This is a linguistic term relating to the organisation of the spoken level of our communication, which generally leaves out the totality of the Deep Structure. The way we leave out the deep structure is by Deletion, Generalisation and Distortion.
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Synaesthesia
A two-step strategy, between Modalities, where the two steps are linked together with one usually out of awareness. Sometimes referred to as Overlapping.
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Syntactic Ambiguity
Where it is impossible to tell from the syntax of a sentence the meaning of a certain word.
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T
Third Position
Relating to a Perceptual Position. Third Position, or Meta Position, is the point of view of a dissociated observer, an over view.
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Through Time
The other Meta Programme filter relating to Time. Through Time people will store their memories left to right or right to left or in any other way so that all time is in front of them. Time is a continuous and uninterrupted.
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Time Code
The way we store our memories into the Past, Present and Future.
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Time Line
A way in which we store our memories of the past, the present and the future making each person’s time line metaphorically unique to them.
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Trace Anchor
See Search Anchor.
Trance
Any altered state. In hypnosis it is usually characterised by inward, one-pointed focus.
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Transderivational Search
Part of Eye Accessing Cues. Looking through several or all of the Representational Systems for the same piece of information.
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Transformation
A series of Derivations which connect the Deep Structure to the Surface Structure.
Trigger
The external event or internal stimulus that starts a behaviour or response.
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Triple Description
Describes our point of view in a specific situation:
First Position is our own point of view.
Second Position is usually someone else’s point of view.
Third position is the point of view of a dissociated observer-much like an overview or meta-position.
As in Perceptual Positions.
U
Unconscious
That which you are not conscious of, or which is out of conscious awareness.
Unconscious Mind
The part of your mind that you are not conscious of.
Universal
An experience that is so well known that it is assumed.
Universal Quantifiers
Words that are universal generalisations and have no referential index. Includes words such as “all”, “every”, and “never”.
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Uptime
Having all sensory inputs focussed outward, leaving no attention available for inward attention.
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Utilisation
Pacing someone’s reality by simply describing their ongoing sensory experience of what they must be feeling, hearing, or seeing that is undeniable.
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V
Values
High-level Generalisations that describe that which is important to you. In NLP sometimes called criteria.
Change techniques taught at Master Practitioner
Visual (V)
The Representational System dealing with the sense of sight. It can be internal or external.
Visual Squash
An NLP technique which allows us to integrate parts at the unconscious level by assisting each one to traverse logical levels (by chunking up) and to go beyond the boundaries of each to find a higher level of wholeness. Sometimes called Parts Integration.
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W
Well Formedness Conditions for Outcomes
The Well Formedness Conditions allow us to specify outcomes that are more achievable, because the language conforms to certain rules.
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