causerie
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. Light, informal conversation for social occasions: A causerie is a chatty, relaxed, and often entertaining talk or written piece, characterized by its informal and personal style. It suggests a digressive or anecdotal quality, like a friendly conversation.
Usage
- As a subject: "The evening's ranged from art to travel anecdotes."
- As an object: "She enjoyed the witty over coffee."
- With prepositions: "He wrote a charming on the pleasures of gardening." / "The interview was more of a relaxed between friends."
Examples
- "The literary salon was famous for its brilliant ."
- "His column in the magazine is not a formal essay but a delightful ."
- "After dinner, the conversation settled into a pleasant about books and films."
Advanced Usage
- The term often implies a literary or intellectual, yet accessible, quality. A can be a written work (like a newspaper column or short article) that mimics the style of a light, personal talk.
- "In the style of a causerie": Used to describe a speech or piece of writing that is deliberately informal and conversational.
- The professor delivered his lecture in the style of a causerie, full of personal reflections and asides.
Variants and Related Words
- Causer (noun, archaic): One who engages in conversation or chat. (Rarely used in modern English).
- Causer should not be confused with "cause" or "causer" (one who causes something), which are unrelated words.
Synonyms
- Chat: Informal conversation.
- Chitchat: Light, casual talk about unimportant matters.
- Conversation: The informal exchange of ideas by spoken words.
- Discourse (in its informal sense): Written or spoken communication.
- Talk: An informal speech or conversation.
Antonyms
- Address (a formal speech)
- Lecture (a formal educational talk)
- Monologue (a long speech by one person)
- Oratory (formal public speaking)
- Sermon (a talk on a religious or moral subject)
Notes on Meaning
- The word causerie is borrowed from French, where it literally means "chat" or "talk." In English, it retains a slightly sophisticated or literary connotation, distinguishing it from more common words like "chat." It emphasizes the style (light, personal, digressive) rather than just the act of talking.
Noun
- light informal conversation for social occasions