Conversation
Did you ever consider that having a conversation with someone may involve more than just talking?
You may be surprised (or not) to learn that the term ‘criminal conversation’ has been a legal term for adultery since the late 18th century. Before that, from at least the 14th century, the word conversation was a synonym for sexual intercourse.
I am reminded of a cartoon of an exasperated man trying to explain to his angry wife, “But she and I were just talking.”
How might the origins of the word conversation help us to understand this?
The word conversation has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root wer meaning to turn or to bend and Latin vertere (to turn). Latin con- (together, with) + vertere becomes conversare (to turn about, to turn about with) and conversari (to live, to dwell, live with, keep company with). Latin conversationem and conversatio mean frequent use, frequent abode in a place, intercourse, and conversation.
At this point, I have to admit that I turned to my dictionary for definitions of intercourse. Merriam-Webster (M-W) says that intercourse means: 1) connections or dealing between persons or groups, 2) exchange of thoughts or feelings (“See Communion”, M-W tells me), and 3) physical sexual contact. M-W also says that the word intercourse is from Latin intercursus (the act of running between) and intercurrere (to run between). [And, wouldn’t you know, currere is the source of the word curriculum! I can see another cartoon, this one for the scholarly journals: “But he and I were just working on our curriculum.” But I digress. Really digress.]
Back to the word conversation: From these Latin origins, the word conversacion comes to Old French, meaning behavior, life, way of life, monastic life… yes, monastic life (perhaps that’s another story for another time). By the 14th century the word conversation came to English meaning the place where one dwells or lives and, also, the general course of actions or habits, the manner of conducting oneself in the world. These meanings are now obsolete. Why? At this time, I don’t know.
Finally, it would seem that the use of the word conversation to mean talking together is relatively recent. Conversation, as the informal interchange of thoughts and sentiments by spoken words, is from the 1570s. The term ‘conversation piece’, meaning a subject for conversation, is from 1784.
In summary, in its origins, conversation describes people interacting with one another in different ways. Of the many words for interacting, many of which are now obsolete, the word talking is what has endured in terms of the current meaning and use of the word conversation.
Nevertheless, let us not forget that talking, ‘real’ talking, can be as intimate as touching.
Reference: Online Etymological Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/
You may be surprised (or not) to learn that the term ‘criminal conversation’ has been a legal term for adultery since the late 18th century. Before that, from at least the 14th century, the word conversation was a synonym for sexual intercourse.
I am reminded of a cartoon of an exasperated man trying to explain to his angry wife, “But she and I were just talking.”
How might the origins of the word conversation help us to understand this?
The word conversation has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root wer meaning to turn or to bend and Latin vertere (to turn). Latin con- (together, with) + vertere becomes conversare (to turn about, to turn about with) and conversari (to live, to dwell, live with, keep company with). Latin conversationem and conversatio mean frequent use, frequent abode in a place, intercourse, and conversation.
At this point, I have to admit that I turned to my dictionary for definitions of intercourse. Merriam-Webster (M-W) says that intercourse means: 1) connections or dealing between persons or groups, 2) exchange of thoughts or feelings (“See Communion”, M-W tells me), and 3) physical sexual contact. M-W also says that the word intercourse is from Latin intercursus (the act of running between) and intercurrere (to run between). [And, wouldn’t you know, currere is the source of the word curriculum! I can see another cartoon, this one for the scholarly journals: “But he and I were just working on our curriculum.” But I digress. Really digress.]
Back to the word conversation: From these Latin origins, the word conversacion comes to Old French, meaning behavior, life, way of life, monastic life… yes, monastic life (perhaps that’s another story for another time). By the 14th century the word conversation came to English meaning the place where one dwells or lives and, also, the general course of actions or habits, the manner of conducting oneself in the world. These meanings are now obsolete. Why? At this time, I don’t know.
Finally, it would seem that the use of the word conversation to mean talking together is relatively recent. Conversation, as the informal interchange of thoughts and sentiments by spoken words, is from the 1570s. The term ‘conversation piece’, meaning a subject for conversation, is from 1784.
In summary, in its origins, conversation describes people interacting with one another in different ways. Of the many words for interacting, many of which are now obsolete, the word talking is what has endured in terms of the current meaning and use of the word conversation.
Nevertheless, let us not forget that talking, ‘real’ talking, can be as intimate as touching.
Reference: Online Etymological Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/
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