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Plato’s famous dialogues frequently presented Socrates playing a leading role, and dialogue comes from the Greek roots dia-(“through” or “across”) and -logue (“discourse” or “talk”).
See all examples of dialogue. These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
- Dialogue Definition
- Dialogue in Depth
- Dialogue Examples
- Why Do Writers Use Dialogue in Literature?
- Other Helpful Dialogue Resources
What is dialogue? Here’s a quick and simple definition: Some additional key details about dialogue: 1. Dialogue is defined in contrast to monologue, when only one person is speaking. 2. Dialogue is often critical for moving the plot of a story forward, and can be a great way of conveying key information about characters and the plot. 3. Dialogue is...
Dialogue is used in all forms of writing, from novels to news articles to plays—and even in some poetry. It's a useful tool for exposition (i.e., conveying the key details and background information of a story) as well as characterization(i.e., fleshing out characters to make them seem lifelike and unique).
The following examples are taken from all types of literature, from ancient philosophical texts to contemporary novels, showing that dialogue has always been an integral feature of many different types of writing.
Most writers use dialogue simply because there is more than one character in their story, and dialogue is a major part of how the plot progresses and characters interact. But in addition to the fact that dialogue is virtually a necessary component of fiction, theater, and film, writers use dialogue in their work because: 1. It aids in characterizat...
Cinefix's video with their take on the 14 best dialogues of all time:A smart overview of what dialogue can accomplish in film.The term dialogue stems from the Greek διάλογος ( dialogos, conversation); its roots are διά ( dia: through) and λόγος ( logos: speech, reason). The first extant author who uses the term is Plato, in whose works it is closely associated with the art of dialectic. [ 3] Latin took over the word as dialogus. [ 4]
The President told waiting reporters there had been a constructive dialogue. a conversation or discussion, often one about a problem or something important for the people involved: I had a long talk with my boss about my career prospects. a formal discussion of an issue at a public meeting or in a parliament.
the conversation between characters in a novel, drama, etc. an exchange of ideas or opinions on a particular issue, especially a political or religious issue, with a view to reaching an amicable agreement or settlement. a literary work in the form of a conversation: a dialogue of Plato.
These works feature dialogues with Socrates, and they were intended to communicate philosophical ideas. As a current literary device, dialogue refers to spoken lines by characters in a story that serve many functions such as adding context to a narrative , establishing voice and tone , or setting forth conflict .
