The kind of talking you do with someone when you need to talk to them, or actually want to talk to them, but don't really have anything to say.

It's usually asking simple questions about their health and well-being (just always answer in the affirmative, you don't really want to know how someone is in this case), perhaps brief conversation about the weather if it's pleasant, you know, just things like that.

Usually exchanging pleasantries doesn't last very long.