Talking of is a common phrase used in English to introduce a new topic during a conversation or discussion. The spelling of talking of follows the standard English spelling rules with "t" pronounced as /t/, "a" pronounced as /ɔː/ and "l" pronounced as /l/. The letter "k" is silent, and "ing" is pronounced as /ɪŋ/. Finally, "o" is pronounced as /əv/ and "f" is pronounced as /f/. This expression is often used informally and is interchangeable with other similar phrases such as "speaking of" or "on the topic of".
"Talking of" is a phrase that is commonly used in spoken and written English. It is a preposition phrase which means to bring up a new topic or subject in a conversation or discussion. It is often used as a transitional phrase to smoothly move from one topic to another related topic.
The phrase can be used in various contexts, such as during a casual conversation among friends, in a formal meeting or presentation, or in a written piece of literature. It implies that the speaker or writer is linking their current remark or idea to a previous topic that was being discussed.
For example, if someone says, "Talking of books, have you read the latest bestseller?" it means that while they were discussing books, they suddenly remembered or wanted to bring up the topic of the latest bestseller. This phrase serves as a way to smoothly transition into a new topic without abruptly changing the subject.
In summary, "talking of" is a prepositional phrase used to introduce a new topic or subject related to the one being discussed. It helps maintain the flow of conversation or writing by providing a seamless transition between topics.
The phrase "talking of" is not a standalone word, but rather a phrase that consists of the verb "talking" and the preposition "of". Therefore, the etymology of each word individually contributes to the meaning. Here is the etymology of both words:
1. Talking:
The word "talking" originated from the Old English word "tacan" or "tæcan", which means "to speak, converse, discuss". It has Germanic roots and is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "taikijaną". Over time, it evolved into the Middle English word "talking" and finally to its current form in modern English.
2. Of:
The word "of" originates from the Old English word "of", which can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "afa". It has similar counterparts in other Germanic languages.