jabber

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'jabber' is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used to refer to nonsensical or incomprehensible talk, or to refer to speaking rapidly and excitedly. For example, "Nathan was jabbering on for an hour about his latest invention."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

The more xenophobic South African blacks refer to foreign blacks as makwerekwere, "those who jabber like grasshoppers", just as the Greeks termed "barbarians" those foreigners whose stammering sounded like "bar-bar".

The Economist

Clearly, he has tapped into something, a fury among rank and file Republicans precisely at the party elite and in particular their failure to do anything more than jabber about illegal immigration, which they see as explaining their lost jobs or depressed wages.

Independent

During online chats using the instant messaging service jabber, he suggests that he is struggling to infect computers using the email technique and asked for help from other criminals, according to the US court papers.

Independent

The river captains are king bees and love to jabber & gossip with each other over short-wave radio sets.

The New Yorker

But the A.D.D. camera style suits Sorkin's writing; his characters frequently jabber at someone who chooses that moment to look elsewhere.

The New Yorker

He builds a detailed atmosphere, brings his good people and his bad together, and lets them jabber at one another; the virtuosity is rhetorical rather than visual.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

Or, as Mr T would put it, stop your jibber-jabber.

The Economist

Mountain Lion brings more Mac OS X features into consistency by name and feature with iOS.Messages includes all the old instant-messaging features of iChat, which it replaces, including support for AOL Instant Messenger, Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger and Jabber-based servers.

The Economist

I'll tolerate no negative jibber-jabber about the tousle-haired, wood-fired-kiln-botherer.

Independent

These and other factors appear to have combined into a perfect tornado of gung ho jibber-jabber, the idiot power of which threatens to engulf us.

Independent

Blackwell dismissed most of the complaints as "partisan jibber-jabber" and asserted that none of the Election Day "glitches" were "of a conspiratorial nature, and none of them would have overturned or changed the election results".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "jabber" when you want to convey a sense of rapid, unintelligible, or nonsensical speech. It's particularly effective in informal writing or dialogue to characterize someone's manner of speaking.

Common error

Avoid using "jabber" in formal or professional writing where precise and clear communication is essential. Opt for more neutral terms like "discuss" or "communicate" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The word "jabber" functions primarily as both a verb and a noun. As a verb, it describes the act of talking rapidly, indistinctly, or unintelligibly. As a noun, it refers to rapid or incoherent talk itself. This is supported by Ludwig and its provided examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "jabber" is a versatile term used as both a verb and a noun to describe rapid, unintelligible, or nonsensical speech. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and frequently used. While it's commonly found in News & Media, it's best suited for informal contexts and should be used cautiously in formal or professional settings. Related terms include "chatter", "babble", and "gabble", each carrying subtle differences in connotation. Be mindful of these nuances to ensure precise and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

gabble

Emphasizes rapid and unintelligible speech, very close in meaning to "jabber".

babble

Refers to nonsensical or confused speech, overlapping with "jabber" in describing incomprehensible utterance.

chatter

Similar in meaning, referring to rapid and informal talk, but slightly less negative in connotation than "jabber".

blather

Denotes foolish or nonsensical talk at length, akin to "jabber" in its disparaging tone.

prattle

Implies foolish or inconsequential talk, akin to "jabber" in its negative assessment of the speech.

drivel

Highlights the silliness and lack of substance in the speech, similar to a negative assessment of "jabber".

ramble

Indicates speech that wanders without a clear direction, similar to "jabber" when used to describe incoherent talk.

rattle on

Suggests continuous and often tiresome talking, sharing the negative connotation of excessive speech with "jabber".

waffle

Implies vague and evasive speech, similar to "jabber" when describing unclear communication.

run on

Describes lengthy and often disorganized speech, echoing "jabber" in its implication of uncontrolled talking.

FAQs

How can I use "jabber" in a sentence?

You can use "jabber" to describe someone talking rapidly and unintelligibly, as in "The children were "jabbering excitedly" about their day", or to refer to the act of speaking nonsensically, such as "I couldn't understand a word of his "incoherent jabber"".

What's a less negative alternative to "jabber"?

If you want to describe rapid speech without the negative connotation, consider using words like "chatter", "prattle", or "talk rapidly" depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "jabber" instead of "converse"?

"Jabber" is used when the speech is rapid, excited, or difficult to understand, implying a lack of coherent communication. "Converse", on the other hand, suggests a more structured and meaningful exchange of ideas and thoughts.

Is "jabber" suitable for formal writing?

No, "jabber" is generally not suitable for formal writing due to its informal and often negative connotation. In formal contexts, it's best to use more neutral and precise terms like "discuss", "communicate", or "speak".