interlocution

Interlocution refers to the act or process of exchanging speech in a dialogue, or to the dialogue itself between interlocutors. It emphasizes the interactive nature of speaking as a social activity.

Etymology: The word derives from the Latin interloqui, meaning to speak between. It entered English via scholarly and literary usage, and has been used since the early modern period to discuss conversational form and structure.

Usage and scope: In linguistics and discourse analysis, interlocution describes the interactional dynamics of conversations—the roles of speakers, turn-taking, and the responses that shape meaning. The term distinguishes spoken exchange from monologue, and an interlocutor is any participant in the dialogue.

In rhetoric, literature, and drama, interlocution frames the structure of conversation-based scenes, from classical drama to contemporary dialogue-driven narratives. In philosophy and dialectical methods, interlocutors test ideas through questions and answers, a pattern sometimes described as interlocutory inquiry or dialogical examination.

See also: dialogue, conversation analysis, interlocutor, Socratic method.