phatic
- adjective
- /ˈfætɪk/
- Specialized
:
fático
- He offered a phatic greeting to his neighbor, merely acknowledging her presence without any intention of deeper conversation.
Examples
-
Their reaction is purely phatic.
Blog text (33) -
But most remain under the surface, an unconscious background to the unconscious structuring of phatic ritual communication.
Academic text (1995) -
Phatic communication
Academic text (2013) -
Here I analyze communicative images and uses of aroma in two principal domains of experience: sociability (phatic or everyday experience) and ritual, in order to illuminate its association with internal character and external spirits.
Academic text (1999) -
During the meeting, her small talk was mostly phatic, aimed at breaking the ice rather than discussing serious topics.
-
At parties, people often exchange phatic remarks to create a friendly atmosphere, focusing on pleasantries rather than actual news.
Antonyms
Compounds
- Specialized
Brief talk that starts or keeps friendly contact without important information
How Social
Surface Forms
Etymology
Phatic comes from a Greek word phaticos meaning 'spoken', and it was used to describe the kind of speech that keeps people feeling connected. So a phatic expression is a little social phrase, like 'Good morning', used to make or keep friendly contact rather than to give information.