A podcast probably isn’t a soliloquy
9 Nov 2004
I choose today’s word because I see it misused all over the Blogosphere. The word is Soliloquy.
Dave Winer used the term in a October 1, 2004 post. I heard an Adam Curry critic used it to describe the Daily Source Code, and if you google “blog soliloquy” you will get 24,000 results.
I read through a lot of definitions on the internet and in print. They all gave roughly the same meaning. I will offer the definition from my O.E.D. since it gave the shortest clear definition.
Soliloquy- A noun. An act of speaking one’s thoughts aloud when alone regardless of hearers, especially in a play.
In short talking to yourself. A great example is Hamlet’s “To be or not to be…”
Now at first you might think yup that’s a podcast or a blog. But Hamlet wasn’t talking to anybody but himself. Podcasts on the other hand definitely have an audience. Certainly Dave and Adam have an audience. I heard 50,000 listeners for the DSC. While they are “speaking one’s thoughts aloud,” they are definitely directing their thoughts to us, the audience. They aren’t talking to themselves.
Based on the server logs this podcast is probably a soliloquy. If it isn’t drop me an email at scott at todayspodcast.com or call me at (435) 514-4859 and let me know what you think.
Nov 11, 2004 @ 03:31:16
It’s my belief that the term ‘soliloquy’ is now used in jest by many who originally heard it being misused by that critic you mentioned. It may well be the case, though, that newer podcasters think, because they do hear the term being used, that it’s an appropriate term.