Since I decided to stop speaking English several weeks ago as long as I'm in Israel except for professional purposes, I've discovered that some native speakers of English here don't even know the most basic Hebrew even after living here for years.
I've told all those I used to speak with in English that they can continue talking to me in English, but I'll answer them in Hebrew. This way we manage to communicate with each other though I try to use as easy expressions as possible in Hebrew. Some of them have even decided to start speaking Hebrew with me. I must be one of the few they speak Hebrew with on a regular basis.
But when it comes to those who know little or no Hebrew even passively, our communication becomes asymmetrical - I understand them in English, but they don't understand me in Hebrew. Since I don't want to change my decision so easily, I continue this practice in the meanwhile paying a certain price.
I don't miss our small talks in particular as their main purpose was phatic. I had to find nonverbal methods for transmitting empathy as I can't rely on language now. I've found several so far, and to my pleasant surprise, they even seem more effective than language for this purpose. The following are three of them, which I've also started applying in my communication with those who share a common language or languages with me.
Since I started learning, then practicing life coaching, the way I listen to my interlocutors seems to have improved significantly as I seem to have learned unconsciously the skill of the so-called active listening. Even though they know that I will answer them in Hebrew, some of them still seem to feel like doing a monolog to someone who listens to them actively as what counts for them is not what I say in reply but the very fact that I listen to them actively. This is a rather passive method of transmitting empathy.
There is even a more passive method, which is to be fully present with them before starting to listen to them. This skill seems even rarer than active listening. I first noticed it as the common denominator in most of the stories of encounters with the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Since I read these stories a few years ago, I've been making a conscious effort to be fully present with my interlocutors even when they have a common language or languages with me. This skill becomes far more "visible" and important when the communication becomes nonverbal.
A more active method of transmitting empathy is touching their hands and shoulders or hugging them though I can only do this with male interlocutors. When I still relied mostly on language, I didn't realize how powerful touching and hugging can be. They can literally cross linguistic barriers.