I've tried that but often the other person also doesn't say much. For instance, I distinctly remember a conversation I had with a woman at an alumni gathering w

I've tried that but often the other person also doesn't say much. For instance, I distinctly remember a conversation I had with a woman at an alumni gathering where any question I asked about her work was met with monosyllabic responses. She didn't seem to want disengage from the conversation (body language wasn't "I want to walk away") but wasn't interested in carrying her end of it either. In the end I had to make my excuses and walk away because of how uncomfortable the conversation was.