A system and method for implementing conversational protocols for distributed conversational networking architectures and/or distributed conversational applications, as well as real-time conversational computing between network-connected pervasive computing devices and/or servers over a computer network. The implementation of distributed conversational systems/applications according to the present invention is based, in part, on a suitably defined conversational coding, transport and control protocols. The control protocols include session control protocols, protocols for exchanging of speech meta-information, and speech engine remote control protocols.