Language

Style of language

The language used by Raymond Carver in the short story “What We Talk about When We Talk about Love” is neutral and simple. The story also has a minimalist writing style, the author’s focus being more on dialogue rather than on descriptive passages.

The dialogue used in the story is realistic and follows the patterns of an everyday conversation. To add to the text’s authenticity, the author introduces slang and colloquial expressions which are used in everyday language. Words and expressions like “bitch” (p. 111, l. 17), “sure as hell” (p. 113, l. 42), “gaga” (p. 114, l. 21), “ “goddamn” (p. 119, l. 11), or “old fart” (p. 119, l. 14) make the conversation seem authentic and spontaneous. At the same time, these words suggest that the couples feel comfortable with each...