The examination of the conventionality of discourse at speech communication conventions reveals the ideological commitments of these conventions. The symposium, conference, and congress differ from the convention in that at such meetings the participants are interested in generating concrete experience, while at conventions, participants are interested in consuming such experience. A convention is a meeting place of people rather than of ideas, and it is the interaction of personalities rather than of ideas that emerges as interesting to participants. Conventions are held for practical, social, cultural and historical reasons, and are important in meeting the needs of the organization and of the individual members in a situation where adherence to rules of conduct and typicality of ideology is displayed. Conventionalism at a professional convention serves as a social form, as a disciplinary description, and as a recurrent structure in the annual convention. (DF)