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The term dialogue is often used in everyday life. Yet not all people are aware of what dialogue is and where the term comes from
What the term dialogue means
Mistakenly, dialogue is often thought of as a conversation between two people.
- Generally, however, a dialogue is a conversation with at least two people. However, more can also be involved.
- The term dialogue is composed of the Greek words “dia” for “through” and “logos” for “word”. Through words, situations are thus clarified.
- In philosophy, dialogue was used when a problem was to be solved by thesis and antithesis.
- In literary studies, the term is mainly used for texts such as plays in which several speakers have a role and talk to each other.
- The term is also used in reference to interreligious dialogue. This is where several religions meet and enter into dialogue in order to combat prejudices and create points of connection or even find each other through differences.
Dialogue as a counterpart to discussion
Both dialogue and discussion describe a conversational situation.
- A discussion is characterised above all by the desire to convince the other person of one’s own point of view and to do so by passionate argumentation.
- For many people, a discussion is also synonymous with an argument, whereby an argument is usually only driven by feelings and less by logic and also often hurts the other person.
- Dialogue, on the other hand, relies on pointing out common ground and is considered a calmer conversation.
- This is why there is more emphasis on dialogue and less on discussion, especially in organisations and teaching institutions, especially when it comes to dispute resolution.
