mansplainer: A man compelled to explain or give an opinion about everything—especially to a woman. He speaks, often condescendingly, even if he doesn't know what he's talking about or even if it's none of his business. Old term: a boor. —the Times.

PHOTOGRAPH BY PORTRA IMAGES / GETTY

Men, you're faced these days with a dilemma—sometimes you actually do have to explain something, but how do you avoid being one of those annoying mansplainers? These sample scripts provide some phrases that should help.

HISTORY

The earliest steam engine . . .

[I'll be very brief]

[And I'm looking forward to your comments on this]

[You know all about this; I can tell from the shelf of books on steam engines behind you]

. . . used pressurized steam to produce motion. But what some people don't know . . .

[Not you—more like schoolchildren]

[Present company excluded, of course]

[I do not mean you]

. . . is that James Watt . . .

[Another white male—agh]

[I'll cut to the chase here]

[And I do want to know more about your relationship with Watt's record of innovation]

. . . and his development of the steam engine were a key component . . .

[Some say—I could be wrong]

[Jump in anytime here]

[Please, please bear with me]

. . . of the Industrial Revolution.

[I'm done.]

[What do you think?]

[Sorry, was that completely pedantic?]

ART HISTORY

Titian—you're familiar with Titian? Oh, O.K.

LITERATURE

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a deservedly renowned essayist . . .

[Along with being a white male whose place in the canon is inherently questionable for that reason]

[One man's opinion]

[One person's opinion, really]

He . . .

[To use an outmoded and questionable pronoun]

[Sorry to be predictable]

[I say "he," but like all of us he was probably on more of a gender continuum]

. . . explored issues . . .

[As if you didn't know]

[And I apologize for the seventh-grade-level language]

[Oh, you did your doctoral thesis on Emerson? Over to you]

. . . relating to man's relationship with the spirit . . .

[Duh]

[Some say, anyway]

[Do you think that's right?]

CAR REPAIR

There's a little doohickey over on the right . . .

[You're correct, it is the carburetor cap]

[Sorry, wasn't thinking—remove the carburetor cap]

[And restore the engine's full capacity—I know you know how].

TECHNOLOGY

Go to Preferences . . .

[If it feels right]

[I've been told]

[Or wherever you want]

. . . and find where it says Restore Settings . . .

[Not to sound bossy]

[It's worked for me in the past]

[If you'd still like to]

See the little arrow on the right?

[Infantilizing—forgive me—but it is a little arrow]

[Of course you see it! Just pro forma]

[If not, what do you see? Describe it in detail]

Click that. You should see a list of choices . . .

["Should" is a loaded word]

[Of course, your experience is your own. It is whatever it is]

[You very well might not, and I want your thoughts on that]

See where it says Options?

[It might not on yours. All computers are different, that's true]

[Click that. Sorry to sound dictatorial]

[Oh, you weren't asking for help, you just wanted me to fix it for you? With extreme pleasure]