interlocutorsincluding

An interlocutor is a participant in a conversation or dialogue. The term comes from Latin interloqui, "to speak between." In linguistics and communication studies, interlocutors influence turn-taking, grounding, and mutual understanding.

Across spheres—diplomacy, education, journalism, and customer service—interlocutors are individuals or representatives who negotiate, explain, persuade, or coordinate actions. In human–computer interaction and AI, the user and the system act as interlocutors, with the software interpreting input and generating responses.

The plural form is interlocutors; the phrase "interlocutors including" is commonly used to introduce a non-exhaustive list of participants, as in "interlocutors including researchers, clinicians, and policymakers." In conversation analysis, researchers study how interlocutors manage topics, repairs, and alignment.

See also: dialogue partner, conversation analyst, mediator.