Genres of Gossip

Abstract Building on the previous chapter’s analysis of gossip as a social process, this chapter examines the language and locations of gossip in the ancient society of Athens. It sets the stage for the three chapters that follow, in which the presence of gossip can be traced in different kinds of ancient discourse. This chapter explores the ancient vocabulary of gossip, which offers insights into ancient perceptions of gossip; it draws attention to the places where gossip would circulate; and finally it looks at the ways in which gossip and gender were understood to be interrelated.