The term colloquial is derived from the Latin term colloquium, which in the contemporary world usually refers to a conference, or gathering of scholars. Within the context of the written word, to say that a piece of writing is colloquial can mean that a given text is very informal in its style. If a professor were to hand back an essay to a student with a note saying that the language used therein was colloquial, this would mean that it was too informal and thus inappropriate for a university assignment. Slang and local expressions used when speaking are all examples of colloquial language.
Someone who is referred to as colloquial may be one who is deemed especially open to conversation or someone who is overly talkative. At its most basic level, colloquial refers to the spoken word. This is why variations of this word can describe anything from conferences where participants present their work orally, to informal expressions and slang used when speaking.
Someone who is referred to as colloquial may be one who is deemed especially open to conversation or someone who is overly talkative. At its most basic level, colloquial refers to the spoken word. This is why variations of this word can describe anything from conferences where participants present their work orally, to informal expressions and slang used when speaking.
