ABSTRACT
This chapter examines that most generally, since it is a commonplace observation that Pinter is widely acclaimed by both the lay and the literary-critical public as a notable writer of realistic-sounding dialogue, then, in a book concerned with some of the relationships between play dialogue and naturally occurring conversation, some Pinter text was an obvious if not essential choice for close study and discussion. And on this parameter at least, it contrasts nicely with the Ionesco text and the public reactions to the ostensible artificiality of its dialogue. The Dumb Waiter has obvious procedural advantages in being relatively short, and relatively simple, at least in terms of its participants, there being only two characters on stage. It also seemed to be intuitively interesting and potentially rich with regard to conversational analysis, in that, whilst there is very little in the way of plot or action, there is certainly a great deal of talk.
