Often students reply that small talk is simply talking about things that aren't very important, such as the weather.
I think this response can give us some insight into one of the biggest differences between how Germans and Americans understand small talk. For Germans, communicating with someone is often focused on sharing useful or important information. My students often feel that talking about things like the weather or weekend plans, which are staples of small talk conversations, seems awkward or forced. They find it a bit uncomfortable or unnecessary to talk to someone about these things, especially if they are not genuinely interested in the weather or someone's weekend plans.
In contrast, I think that Americans are less inclined to see communication primarily as a means of sharing information. For us, one of the main purposes of small talk is to appear friendly, engaged and open. Americans sometimes fear silences or awkwardness in conversation, which leads us to talk about all sorts of topics, whether or not we are actually interested in these topics. However, Germans are far less bothered by silences in conversation, which I think is something Americans can learn from and embrace. I do not want to argue that either of these perspectives on small talk and communication is right or wrong. Americans are still capable of discussing important issues with each other and Germans do engage in small talk!
In my experience, there does tend to be less small talk when I meet a German person. However, I have still felt very welcomed by the Germans I've met through orchestra, book clubs and other social events.
