Learn English – Word for one character explaining to another character some important points for benefit of the audience

literary-techniquesnarrationterminology

This is not apostrophe (no, not that kind of apostrophe) or anagnorisis; this is when a character communicates a exposition on some aspect of the story's background or context (e.g. how FTL travel works; why the families are at war) ostensibly to another character (often a foreigner or recluse) but actually in place of simple omniscient narration.

I'm not criticizing the practice; I just want a word for it.

Thanks in advance

Best Answer

What you're describing is expository dialogue.

More colloquially, it's also called an info dump or "as you know, Bob" dialogue.

The last term is generally used in a critical sense, referring to dialogue in a movie or tv show that is obviously unnatural and presented only for the audience's benefit. For example:

Dr. Smartly: As you know, Bob, giant robots have a universal weakness for high-fructose corn syrup, and I've been researching this in my lab. If a giant robot ever attacks Pleasantville, it's a good thing the soda pop factory is nearby...

[90 minutes later]

Bob Dogood (our hero): Eat sweet justic, infernal menace!

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