collocutor: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (Formal/Literary)Formal, Literary, Specialised (e.g., discourse analysis)
Quick answer
What does “collocutor” mean?
A person who takes part in a conversation.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who takes part in a conversation; a conversational partner.
More broadly, an interlocutor or participant in a dialogue, often implying an active, involved party in a verbal exchange.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is equally rare and formal in both varieties. No significant spelling or usage difference.
Connotations
In both varieties, it connotes a formal, intellectual, or analytical context (e.g., linguistics, philosophy, literary criticism).
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in everyday speech. Slightly more likely to be encountered in academic texts than in general media.
Grammar
How to Use “collocutor” in a Sentence
[be/act as] a collocutor for/with/to [someone]engage [someone] as a collocutorVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “collocutor” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable. No verb form in standard use.
American English
- Not applicable. No verb form in standard use.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable. No adverb form in standard use.
American English
- Not applicable. No adverb form in standard use.
adjective
British English
- The collocutor role is essential in dialogue analysis.
American English
- She studied collocutor dynamics in focus groups.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually unused.
Academic
Used in linguistics, communication studies, and philosophy to analyse conversational roles.
Everyday
Extremely rare. 'The other person' or 'who I was talking to' would be used.
Technical
A precise term in discourse analysis and conversation analysis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “collocutor”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “collocutor”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “collocutor”
- Misspelling as 'collocater' or 'colocutor'.
- Using it in casual contexts where 'person' or 'they' would be natural.
- Confusing it with 'collator' (a person who collects and arranges items).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are near-synonyms. 'Interlocutor' is more common and can also mean a 'go-between'. 'Collocutor' is rarer and specifically emphasises the 'co-' (joint) aspect of speaking.
It is not recommended. It would sound excessively formal and possibly pretentious. Use 'the other person', 'who I was talking to', or simply 'they'.
Only distantly. Both share the Latin root 'locut-' (to speak). 'Collocation' refers to words that frequently 'sit together' (co-locate), while 'collocutor' refers to people who 'speak together'.
No. The related verb would be 'to colloque' (archaic) or 'to converse'. The act is 'colloquy' (a formal conversation).
A person who takes part in a conversation.
Collocutor is usually formal, literary, specialised (e.g., discourse analysis) in register.
Collocutor: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒl.əˌkjuː.tə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑː.ləˌkjuː.t̬ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'COLLOcutor' as someone you 'COLLOcate' words with—you co-locate (place together) your speech in a conversation.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONVERSATION IS A JOINT ACTIVITY / A COLLABORATIVE CONSTRUCTION.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'collocutor' most appropriately used?