Thanks for sharing this. Silence (pauses) can be an incredibly powerful communication tool, but so many people (those who stutter and those who don't!) are afraid to use it. I think that deliberate pauses, when used properly, make the speaker appear more confident and in control of the situation-- like you know what you want to say, and are being selective and thoughtful with your word and phrase choices. Interestingly, in English, 4 seconds or longer is considered an "awkward" pause. If you pay attention to lulls in conversation, a 4-second break is where people start to squirm or awkwardly try to "end" the silence. I think most speakers (fluent and non) are often afraid of silence. If we turn silence into an *opportunity*, though, it opens up a whole new communicative style.