Definition
n. an old-fashioned word for a movie that has sound and music. It was used when movies first started using voices and music instead of just pictures.
n. a motion picture featuring synchronized sound, specifically during the transition period from silent films to sound films.
Examples
“My grandfather used to take me to see a talkie at the local cinema.”
“The transition from silent film to the talkie was one of the most significant shifts in the history of cinema.”
“While the silent era relied on visual storytelling and intertitles, the arrival of the talkie fundamentally altered the industry's approach to narrative and character development.”
Examples
simple
“My grandfather used to take me to see a talkie at the local cinema.”
contextual
“The transition from silent film to the talkie was one of the most significant shifts in the history of cinema.”
complex
“While the silent era relied on visual storytelling and intertitles, the arrival of the talkie fundamentally altered the industry's approach to narrative and character development.”
Real-World Examples
“For almost a century, The Jazz Singer has been celebrated as the world’s first feature-length film to include synchronised dialogue (known as a “talkie”), and English as the first language of cinema.” Etymology
Clipping of talking picture, via + -ie, and thus morphologically parallel with movie.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/talkie
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0