I do not understand the difference between conversation (n) and talk (n). I am only interested in the difference in the following definitions:
conversation (n):
1: an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people :
the act of talking in an informal way
talk (n):
1: an occurrence in which one person talks about something with another person : a conversation or discussion
2: the act of talking about a subject with another person or group :
discussion or conversation
Source: Merriam-Webster’s Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
Some examples to put it into concrete:
- They had a talk/conversation while waiting at the dentist's.
- The conversation/talk got unpleasant.
Best Answer
The primary difference is that "conversation" is necessarily two-way -- two or more people interchanging utterances.
"Talk", on the other hand, may involve only a single person speaking, with everyone else in the room just listening (or perhaps ignoring the speaker). Of course, two people may "talk to each other", in which case they're having a conversation.