Jabber: meaning, definitions and examples

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jabber

[ˈdʒæbər ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

online communication

Rapid, incoherent talk or noise; gibberish. In computing, an instance messaging service.

Synonyms

babble, chatter, gibberish.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
jabber	Used to describe quick, excited, often unclear speech, sometimes with a negative connotation when someone is speaking incessantly and making little sense. She could hardly understand him as he started to jabber about the incident The kids were jabbering excitedly about their upcoming field trip
gibberish	Used to describe speech or writing that is unintelligible or nonsensical, often with a negative connotation indicating confusion or lack of meaning. The instructions he gave me were complete gibberish; I couldn't understand a thing When she woke up from the anesthesia, she started speaking gibberish
chatter	Refers to light, casual conversation or the sound of rapid talk, often associated with friendly or social environments. Can also refer to the noise made by animals like monkeys or birds. We sat on the porch, listening to the birds chatter in the morning The office was filled with light chatter as everyone gathered for the meeting
babble	Describes continuous, rapid, or foolish talk, often meaningless or hard to understand; can also be used for describing the sound of flowing water. The toddler began to babble happily in the backseat The brook babbled softly, creating a relaxing background sound

Examples of usage

He was speaking in jabber and I couldn't understand a word.
She reached out to him through jabber to discuss the project.
The team uses jabber to communicate in real time during meetings.
I received a jabber notification on my phone.
The jabber conversation was filled with emojis and abbreviations.

^{Context #2 | Verb}

talk rapidly and incoherently

To talk rapidly and incoherently or unintelligibly. To chatter or babble.

Synonyms

babble, chatter, prattle.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
jabber	Used when someone is talking rapidly and excitedly, often in a way that is difficult to understand. The kids started to jabber about their day at school as soon as they came home.
chatter	Used for talking rapidly about unimportant or trivial things, often in a cheerful or social context. They sat and chattered about their holiday plans over coffee.
babble	Used for talking quickly and continuously in a way that is difficult to understand, often mindlessly or without clear purpose. She tended to babble when she was nervous, making it hard to follow her thoughts.
prattle	Used to describe someone talking at length in a foolish or inconsequential way, often associated with small children. The toddler would prattle on about her toys for hours.

Examples of usage

He jabbered on about his new project for hours.
She jabbered excitedly about her upcoming trip.
The children jabbered away in the back seat of the car.
I could hear the sound of voices jabbering in the next room.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

The word 'jabber' likely comes from the Middle English word 'jabberen', which means to talk rapidly or to chatter.
It might be related to the Old Norse word 'jalda', which means to talk or chatter casually.
The term has been used since at least the 16th century to express quick, often meaningless speech.

Linguistics

Jabber can be linked with other similar words like 'gab' and 'jabberwocky', the latter referring to nonsensical words in a poem written by Lewis Carroll.
In linguistics, this kind of rapid speech can be categorized as 'paralanguage', referring to the non-verbal elements that accompany speech.
People often jabber when they are excited or nervous, demonstrating how emotions can influence our communication.

Pop Culture

The internet has popularized the term through various memes and platforms, often associated with overly excited or nonsensical conversations.
In children's animated shows, characters often jabber to create humor and entertain young audiences through silly wordplay.
The word has appeared in various song lyrics, reflecting themes of chaotic communication and fun.

Psychology

Jabbering can often be a sign of anxiety or excitement, where individuals talk rapidly to express their emotions.
Social psychologists study this phenomenon as it relates to group dynamics during conversations, where some may dominate discussions with rapid speech.
It also reflects how people communicate under stress, as fast-paced speech can be instinctual in trying to convey urgency.

Literature

In the realm of literature, the jabberwocky poem illustrates playful language and nonsensical words, showing how gibberish can also be artistic.
Many authors use characters who jabber to depict their whimsical nature or to highlight their eccentricity in storytelling.
Conversely, jabbering can be used to convey confusion in narrative, mirroring characters' emotions or state of mind.

Translations

Translations of the word "jabber" in other languages:

🇵🇹 tagarelar

🇮🇳 बकबक करना

🇩🇪 schwatzen

🇮🇩 ngoceh

🇺🇦 балакати

🇵🇱 gadać

🇯🇵 おしゃべりする

🇫🇷 bavarder

🇪🇸 charlar

🇹🇷 çenesi düşük olmak

🇰🇷 수다 떨다

🇸🇦 ثرثرة

🇨🇿 žvanit

🇸🇰 kecať

🇨🇳 喋喋不休

🇸🇮 klepetati

🇮🇸 þvaðra

🇰🇿 сөйлегіш

🇬🇪 ჭორაობა

🇦🇿 çərənləmək

🇲🇽 charlar

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #36,023, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.

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