You're at a dinner party. You're trying to sound smart, or maybe just normal, and you say, "I’d really love to conversate about that more later." Suddenly, the room goes quiet. That one friend—you know the one—smirks and hits you with the "Actually, that's not a word."
It feels like a punch in the gut. But here’s the thing: they might be wrong. Or, at least, they aren't as right as they think they are.
Language is messy. It's a living, breathing thing that doesn't care about your high school English teacher's red pen. If you’ve ever wondered is conversate a word, the answer depends entirely on who you ask and how much of a "prescriptivist" they are. In the world of linguistics, if people use a word and other people understand it, it’s a word. Period. But in the world of formal writing and job interviews? Well, that's a different story.
Where Did This Word Even Come From?
Most people think conversate is just a lazy mistake made by people who forgot the word "converse." It’s actually a bit more technical than that. Linguists call it a back-formation.
Basically, we have the noun "conversation." Naturally, our brains want to turn nouns into verbs. Since "transportation" becomes "transport" and "information" becomes "inform," it feels logical that "conversation" should become "conversate."
Believe it or not, this isn't some new slang. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of conversate back to the 19th century. Specifically, it appeared in records as early as 1811. It wasn't born in a TikTok comment section; it’s been lurking in the English language for over 200 years.
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Back-formations are everywhere. We use them constantly without realizing it. Take the word "edit." You’d think "editor" came from "edit," right? Wrong. The word "editor" existed first, and people back-formed "edit" from it. The same goes for "peddle" (from peddler) and "diagnose" (from diagnosis). If those words made the cut, why is everyone so mean to conversate?
The Great Dictionary Debate
If you look at Merriam-Webster, they’ll tell you straight up: yes, it’s a word. They define it as "to engage in conversation." But they also add a little tag that says "nonstandard."
That "nonstandard" label is the linguistic equivalent of a "proceed with caution" sign. It means that while the word exists and is used, it’s not something you’d want to put in a legal brief or a PhD dissertation.
Dictionaries are descriptive. They don't make the rules; they just record how we speak. Since millions of people use the word—from Notorious B.I.G. in "Big Poppa" to everyday folks in the Southern United States—the dictionaries eventually had to acknowledge it.
Why People Hate It
So, if it's in the dictionary, why does it still trigger a "red underline" in Microsoft Word?
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- Redundancy: We already have the word "converse." It’s shorter, it’s cleaner, and it’s been the standard for centuries. Critics argue that conversate adds unnecessary syllables to a language that’s already complicated enough.
- Social Stigma: Let’s be real. The hate for this word often has roots in classism and regional bias. Because conversate is frequently used in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and certain colloquial dialects, it’s often unfairly dismissed as "uneducated" speech.
- The "Cringe" Factor: For some, it just sounds clunky. It feels like someone is trying too hard to sound formal and accidentally missing the mark.
Usage in Pop Culture and Literature
You can't talk about this word without mentioning its cultural footprint. It has a vibe.
In music, conversate provides a rhythmic flow that "converse" just can't match. When Biggie Smalls rapped, "I like it when you call me Big Poppa / We can conversate until the break of dawn," he wasn't making a mistake. He was using the language of his community to create a specific mood.
In some ways, conversate has a slightly different nuance than "converse." To many speakers, "conversing" sounds like a formal exchange of ideas, while "conversating" feels more like hanging out, chilling, and having a long, casual talk. Language evolves to fill gaps in meaning. If people feel like "converse" is too stuffy, they’ll find an alternative.
When Should You Actually Use It?
Honestly? It depends on your audience.
If you’re writing a text to a friend or posting on Instagram, go nuts. No one cares. In fact, using "converse" in a casual text might make you sound like a Victorian ghost.
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But if you’re writing a cover letter? Stick to "converse" or "talk." You don't want your resume tossed in the bin because a hiring manager is a secret grammar snob. It’s unfair, but it’s the reality of how language acts as a gatekeeper.
The Verdict
Is it a word? Yes.
Is it a "good" word? That’s subjective.
English isn't a museum piece. It’s a tool. If the tool works for you, use it. Just be aware that some people are very protective of the "old ways" of speaking.
If you want to stay on the safe side, use "converse" for work and "conversate" for the cookout. Or, if you’re feeling spicy, use conversate and when someone corrects you, tell them about the 1811 historical records. That usually shuts them up pretty fast.
Moving Forward: How to Handle "Nonstandard" English
Instead of worrying about whether a word is "real," focus on whether it's effective for your specific situation.
- Check the Room: Assess your environment before choosing between formal and colloquial terms.
- Audit Your Writing: Use tools like Grammarly, but don't let them bully you. If a "nonstandard" word fits the voice of your piece, keep it.
- Study Back-Formations: If you find the history of conversate interesting, look into words like "enthuse" or "liaise." You'll find that many words we use today were once considered "fake" or "incorrect."
- Expand Your Vocabulary: You don't have to choose sides. You can use "chat," "speak," "discuss," "converse," and "conversate" all in the same week depending on who you're talking to.
Language belongs to the people who speak it, not the people who write the textbooks. Use your words with confidence, but keep your audience in mind so your message actually gets across.