Conversation

Conversation is the interactive communication that occurs between two or more people. While there is no single, universally accepted definition, experts often define it by what it is not. It is not a ritualized exchange, such as a simple greeting. It is also not an interaction involving a marked status differential, like a boss giving orders to an employee. Instead, conversation is often described as informal and symmetrical speech. Its primary purpose is to establish and maintain social ties between participants.

To understand how conversation works, one must look at the cooperative principle. This principle involves specific rules of etiquette that govern social interaction. When people participate, their contributions are usually responses to what was previously said. If participants fail to follow these social conventions, the conversation may deteriorate or end entirely. Conversation is typically synchronous, meaning it happens face-to-face or via real-time audio or video. This differs from asynchronous communication, such as internet text, where people read and respond later.

In face-to-face settings, the mechanics of communication extend far beyond spoken words. It has been suggested that 85% of communication is non-verbal. This includes body language, such as a smile, a frown, or a shrug. It also includes tone of voice, which conveys meaning that words alone might miss. Because of this, short written messages like SMS are frequently misunderstood. They lack the nuanced and implied context that exists beneath the surface of spoken interaction.

Conversations can be classified by their subject matter into four distinct categories. The first is subjective ideas, which help extend understanding and awareness. The second is objective facts, which serve to consolidate widely held views. The third category involves talking about other people, which can be critical, competitive, or supportive, such as gossip. The final category is talking about oneself, which can provide relevant information or indicate attention-seeking behavior. Most real-world conversations are difficult to categorize because they rarely fall exclusively into just one group.

One specific and highly skilled form of conversation is known as banter. Banter consists of short, witty sentences that bounce back and forth between individuals. It often functions as a verbal war of wit, using clever put-downs, puns, or intentional misunderstandings. To be successful, participants must use subtext and maintain a rapport that avoids hurting feelings. Writers like William C. Martell have noted how films use this structure. Examples include the 1938 film *Bringing Up Baby* and the 1940 film *His Girl Friday*.

Sociologists also study how people use conversation to manage attention. Charles Derber, a Marxist sociologist, coined the term "conversational narcissism" in his book *The Pursuit of Attention*. He observed that people often compete for attention by steering the conversation toward themselves. He distinguished between the "shift-response," which moves the focus to the new speaker, and the "support-response," which maintains focus on the original speaker. For example, if someone says they are hungry, a shift-response might be "I just ate," while a support-response would be "When was the last time you ate?"

Scientific studies provide interesting data regarding the frequency and patterns of human speech. A study completed in July 2007 by Matthias Mehl of the University of Arizona examined gender differences. Contrary to popular belief, the study found little difference in the number of words used by men and women. On average, each gender uses approximately 16,000 words per day. Additionally, researchers have noted unique social patterns among strangers. For instance, people traveling on planes or buses often share intimate personal information they would not normally share in other settings.

Finally, conversation relates to the broader field of artificial intelligence through the Turing test. This test measures a machine's ability to generate conversation that cannot be distinguished from a human. A judge engages in a natural-language conversation with both a human and a machine. If the judge cannot tell which is which, the machine is said to have passed. While this is a significant milestone, the test has limitations. Because it is often conducted via text, it does not allow the machine to demonstrate tone or vocal nuance.