Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PHATIC

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connect today's word to others: "Hi," "Nice day out," and "You're welcome" are phatic expressions: those that serve social functions without actually sharing any information. The word phatic is cousins with our word __ph__istic (meaning "polite, gentle, vague, and often watered-down"): they both come from the Greek word for "speak." Oddly enough, phatic is not related to the word emphatic. Emphatic and emphasis come from a Greek word meaning "to show"--the same one that gave us words like epiphanic and diaphanous. (Can you define those?) (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "PHATIC" From a Greek word meaning "speak," the word "phatic" describes things we say just to be social with each other (and not to actually exchange information). In other words, phatic things are said only for social reasons (like a need to be polite, or a need to acknowledge someone's presence). Pronunciation: FAD ick Part of speech: Adjective: "a phatic comment," "it was just phatic." Other forms: phatically  How to use it: "Phatic" helps us refer specifically to small talk, social talk, and conversation for its own sake. Phatic speech is meaningless, sure, but it's not purposeless--it's something that makes us human. I do admit that "phatic" is a rare and specific term that you'll find more often in linguistics journals than the morning paper. Still, I think it serves a unique purpose in our vocabulary. So, let's talk about phatic speech, words, phrases, expressions, utterances, exchanges, functions, communion, communication, etc. examples: I didn't mind leaving that job; my coworkers and I never bonded, never even got beyond a phatic "What's up?" or "See ya tomorrow." "'How do you do?' is the perfect instance of phatic speech, which is all the formally meaningless stuff you say that performs the far more vital function of greasing the social wheels. ... What it really means is, 'I am non-aggressive, willing to engage and you may trust that I have both a basic grasp of contemporary mores and an ability to abide by them.'"    — Lucy Mangan, The Guardian, 7 June 2014 study it: Explain the meaning of "phatic" without saying "serving to acknowledge someone's presence" or "serving to display politeness." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "For (a certain person or group), '_____?' is a phatic question--showing care and concern, not necessarily curiosity." Example: "For some Koreans, 'Have you eaten?' is a phatic question--showing care and concern, not necessarily curiosity." before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Our game this month is "Inspired by, but in no way associated with, Jeopardy!" In each issue, I'll create three "answers" for you, and you supply the "questions." (That is, you'll respond in the form of a question, like "What is...?" or "Who is...?") From the previous issue: 1. Category: 2019 Models. Answer: Made by Lamborghini, this SUV is named for a prehistoric ox. Question: What is the Urus? 2. Category: Ends in "Ends." Answer: They're everyone's favorite period of forty-eight hours. Question: What are weekends? 3. Category: Dickensian Letters. Answer: E. S.: He's the one who groused about "every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips." Question: Who is Ebenezer Scrooge? Try these today: 1. Category: Ends in "Ends." Answer: By making them, you right wrongs.  2. Category: Dickensian Letters. Answer: Ms. H.: The spinster in the wedding dress who demanded "love her, love her, love her!"  3. Category: Ditloids. Answer: It’s a weighty matter: 2,000 P I A T.  review today's word: 1. The opposite of PHATIC is A. DEROGATORY. B. INFORMATIONAL. C. CIRCUMLOCUTORY. 2. In an _____ way, a phatic way, she says, "_____." A. effusive .. This child is gorgeous B. automatic .. What a beautiful baby C. outrageous .. This kiddo fell right out of the ugly tree Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. B