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April 18, 2005
What word describes a theme in conversation?

Today's linguistic challenge: I was having a long, complex conversation last night and was observing how the topic slowly mutated from one thing to another, sometimes waiting long enough for an issue to be resolved before moving on and sometimes bouncing several degrees away in rapid succession. So, the question is - what's a word to describe those jumps in conversation? Themes? Iterations? Issues? Acts? Let's call it the 'X' for now.

The sense that I am thinking of is this: "Several Xs ago, we were discussing such and such... i'd like to go back there and talk more" or "let's hold on to this X, and send the tangential Xs over to the other table to talk more"...

Does such a work exist in English? Perhaps some other language?
Posted at 12:31 PM | Comments (5)
Category: General Thoughts



 Comments on this article:

Two suggestions to try on for size: Train of thought? Topic?

 Posted by: Elizabeth on April 24, 2005 2:15 PM

An alternate word for THEME is TOPIC as per;

http://dictionary.reference.com/

The subject of a speech, essay, thesis, or discourse

Theme has the same meaning but no so widely used;

A topic of discourse or discussion.

 Posted by: Jerry on April 24, 2005 7:12 PM

I realize this is rather webby, but how about Thread?

 Posted by: Elizabeth on April 26, 2005 4:06 PM

Yeah, Topic.. .thread... maybe. I feel like there's something more cerebral out there.. perhaps more theatrical. Hmmm....

 Posted by: Nick on April 29, 2005 6:01 PM

Actually, Nick, you have two questions there. One, what to call the "x"s, or topics, of the conversation; the other, what to call the shifts, or jumps, between them.

As for the former, I think "topic" is your best bet (the ever-prolix Roget offers sundry synonyms such as motif, issue, talking point, proposition... none of which work as well as topic to my mind.)

As for the latter, no words come to mind, suggesting a concept void to be filled, or rather, surrounded. Perhaps a topic hop?

Of course, if the nature of the topic shifts is more along the lines of mindless, short-term memory mental meanderings, then you are suddenly armed with a thick bandolier of descriptive nuggets like babblement, prate, chit-chat, chatter, jabber, gibber, gabble, blather, twaddle, bibble-babble, and prittle-prattle, none of which, in spite of their sheer numbers, sounds like anything more intelligent than the oral eruptions of a freshly-burped baby.

I guess I can't help you. Sorry.

 Posted by: Chris Dichtel on May 12, 2005 10:01 PM




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