The definition of gossip Cover Image

A pletyka meghatározása
The definition of gossip

Author(s): Zsuzsanna Szvetelszky
Subject(s): Literary Texts
Published by: EX Symposion Alapítvány
Keywords: Zsuzsanna Szvetelszky; The definition of gossip; Elemér Hankiss; human community; Hungarian literature

Summary/Abstract: Sociology has it that alarming rumours appear when - based on the words of Elemér Hankiss - demand for information exceeds the amount of news provided by the institutionalized channels. Gossip, on the other hand, emerges when there is a human community (a group of at least hundred and fifty people and minimum three for the concrete act of gossipping: an encoder, a decoder and one person providing the topic), since people’s interest towards the others is inexhaustible. Unlike in the case of rumours, lack of information or uncertainty are not necessarily needed to start gossip -- it is just enough if we want to know what is up with the others. Most of the time, however, we must know it.

  • Issue Year: 2001
  • Issue No: 36-37
  • Page Range: 10-21
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Hungarian