dialogico

Dialogico is an Italian adjective meaning relating to dialogue or dialogical. It is used across disciplines to describe discourse, forms, or practices that center dialogue among participants and the exchange of voices. The term derives from dialogo (dialogue) with the suffix -ico and is common in Italian scholarly language when discussing theories of communication, rhetoric, and thought that emphasize interaction.

In linguistic and philosophical contexts, dialogico describes discourse that is inherently interactive, shaped by responses, negotiations, and the presence of multiple, interacting voices. It is often associated with Bakhtin’s dialogism and the idea of heteroglossia, where meaning arises from the tension and dialogue among different speech styles, social languages, and perspectives rather than from a single authoritative voice.

In literature and education, a dialogico approach highlights narrative and pedagogical practices that incorporate multiple viewpoints. In literary analysis, it can refer to texts that present polyphonic voices and dialogic exchanges between characters, readers, and authors. In pedagogy, dialogica or dialogic pedagogy emphasizes dialogue, collaboration, and co-construction of knowledge rather than monologic instruction.

See also: dialogic, Bakhtin, dialogism, polyphony.