This document discusses phatic communion, which refers to small talk at the beginning and end of conversations that serves a social function but is not substantively meaningful. It outlines Malinowski's coining of the term and definition. It also summarizes John Laver's research identifying three types of phatic comments or tokens - neutral, self-oriented, and other-oriented. Finally, it provides examples from Flann O'Brien's novel The Third Policeman that illustrate the use of phatic communion in fictional dialogue.

1. PHATIC COMMUNION
AND FICTIONAL
DIALOGUE
Usama Zahid
M.Phil English (Lit.)
Riphah International University

2. Phatic Communion and Fictional
Dialogue
■ A Linguistic behaviour which characterizes the
beginnings and endings of conversations.
■ e.g. ‘Hello’, ‘Good morning’

3. Phatic Communion and Fictional
Dialogue
■ Malinowski, who actually coined the term in the
1920.
■ He defined phatic communion as ‘a type of
speech in which ties of union are created by a
mere exchange of words’. (Malinowski,
1972:151).

4. Phatic Communion and Fictional
Dialogue
■ Malinowski comments that phatic communion has
an important social function.
■ Amongst other things, this ‘small talk’ helps
avoid uncomfortable silences at the beginnings and
endings of conversations.
■ This is particularly relevant to encounters with new
acquaintances.
■ However, the kinds of topics chosen for phatic
exchanges are not normally referentially significant.

5. Phatic Communion and Fictional
Dialogue
■ John Laver’s important research on phatic communion in a paper
entitled ‘Communicative Functions of Phatic
Communion’ (Laver,1975)
■ In the initial phase of a conversation, speakers often make
supremely obvious comments to one another.
■ These comments—or tokens—do have a communicative function
in that they serve to break any uncomfortable silence as well as
laying the foundation for further interaction.
■ In this respect, phatic tokens are used to make the transition
from non-interaction to interaction smooth.

6. Phatic Communion and Fictional
Dialogue
■ Laver presents three phatic comments or tokens.
■ Neutral Tokens
■ Self-oriented Tokens
■ Other-oriented Tokens

7. Phatic Communion and Fictional
Dialogue
■ Neutral Tokens comprise references to
factors concerning the context of situation, which
are not personal to either the speaker or hearer.
■ e.g. ‘Great view’ (to a fellow tourist) or ‘About time
these trains were cleaned’ (to a fellow passenger).

8. Phatic Communion and Fictional
Dialogue
■ Self-oriented Tokens refer to factors personal to
the speaker.
■ e.g. ‘Hot work, this’ or ‘My legs weren’t made for these
hills'.
■ Other-oriented Tokens refer to factors personal to
the listener.
■ e.g. ‘How’s life?’ or ‘Do you come here often?’

9. ■ The NEUTRAL category remains available to a speaker
of any relative social status.
■ But the conventional choice between the SELF-
ORIENTED and the OTHER-ORIENTED category is
normally governed by the status differential between the
two speakers.
■ In an ‘upwards’ interaction, where an inferior speaks first
to an acknowledged superior, he may choose the self-
oriented category, but not the other-oriented category.
■ In a ‘downwards’ interaction, where a superior speaks
first to an acknowledged inferior, he may choose the
other-oriented category, but not the self-oriented
category.
(Laver, 1975:224)

10. Phatic Communion and Fictional
Dialogue
■ Flann O’Brien’s novel The Third Policeman
■ (a) MacCruiskeen was not gone for long but I was lonely
during that diminutive meantime. When he came in again
he gave me a cigarette which was warm and wrinkled
from his pocket. ‘I believe they are going to stretch you,’
he said pleasantly. I replied with nods. (p. 90)

11. Phatic Communion and Fictional
Dialogue
■ (b) The Sergeant knocked very delicately at the door, came in with
great courtesy and bade me good morning. (p. 132)
■ (c) The steps suddenly clattered out on the roadway not six yards
away, came up behind me and the nstopped.ltisnojoketosaythat
my heart nearly stopped also. Every part of me that was behind
me—neck, ears, back and head—shrank and quailed painfully
before the presence confronting them, each expecting an
onslaught of indescribable ferocity. Then I heard the words. 'This is
a brave night!’ I swung round in amazement. (p. 156)

12. Phatic Communion and Fictional
Dialogue
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