What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
jabber
Example
The children were jabbering excitedly about the upcoming party. [jabbering: present participle]
Example
I couldn't understand a word he was saying, he was jabbering so fast. [jabbering: gerund]
yammer
Example
My boss always yammers on about how busy she is, but never gets anything done. [yammers: verb]
Example
The politician's speech was just a bunch of yammering without any substance. [yammering: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Jabber and yammer are both less common words in everyday language and may not be familiar to beginner ESL learners. However, jabber may be more commonly used in informal contexts, while yammer may be more commonly used in formal or professional contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between jabber and yammer?
Yammer is generally considered more formal than jabber, as it is often used in professional or business settings to describe persistent or pointless speech. Jabber, on the other hand, is more informal and may be used to describe excited or chaotic speech in casual contexts.
