phatic communion

English

Noun

phatic communion (uncountable)

  1. (linguistics) Communication that takes place primarily for social purposes rather than for the exchange of vital information, such as small talk and social pleasantries.
    • 2019, Li Huang, James Lambert, “Another Arrow for the Quiver: A New Methodology for Multilingual Researchers”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, →DOI, page 8:
      We believe that it is in this spoken world, where people engage in phatic communion and indulge in the give-and-take of interpersonal socialising and the negotiation of personality, identity, friendship and connection [...] that one can best get a view of language vitality.
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