YABBER (A - Z CHALLENGE)

I find it interesting how words can be picked up from one group and used by another.

In this case, "yabber," which is probably Wuywurung in its origin (Wuywurung being an Australian aboriginal language).

The commonest translation I have found for the word is "chatter," meaning "talk rapidly or incessantly about trivial matters."

I'm thinking here about a particular application of the word. Does "yabber" or "chatter" characterize the conversations which normally happen in the blogsphere? On Facebook? Through Twitter?

I'm torn.

I think there is a lot of chatter through these media.

The "A - Z Challenge" is probably a case in point. Every day, bloggers took a pre-determined letter, choose a word which starts with that letter, and made up a story, or told a tale. The story could be about something important or trivial. My feeling is that a lot were easy-going chat, simply because of the nature of the "Challenge."

I feel, generally, that a lot of postings I see are fairly trivial. "Tell us 25 things about yourself." Yeah, well . . . whatever. Do I actually learn important things about you through that process — things which come from deep within your heart and soul, things which have touched your life? I would guess not, though that might be true in one or two items. It strikes me as being on the level of two neighbours talking about "nothing and everything" across the back fence.

There is, I suppose, a kind of social glue that helps solidify some kind of community at some level. But mostly I see this on-line "yabber" as being like "small talk" at a cocktail party.

I'm not saying this is wrong. But I, personally, do not find much of it particularly interesting, except on rare occasion. Otherwise, I see these as opportunities to "play" with the writer.

On the other hand, there are stories of personal tragedy and triumph, frustration and joy. There are biographical or historical pieces, and issues of every-day living. I find these are stories full of heart and soul. They tell me about the struggles through which a writer has gone, in facing a difficulty in his/her life. They speak of time spent researching the character or history of another, or even writing good fiction, or finding something helpful to others. They tell and show of effort in good photography.

Those, I particularly appreciate.

I suppose in the end, we bloggers write what we want, and let those who like what we write read us, hopefully on a regular basis.

But my question to you is this: what kind of writing do you like from a blog? Chatty, light yabber, or well-considered stories of tragedy and triumph, fine photos, and other thoughtful writing??

(And please pardon me for yabbering like this.)

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Also brought to you by the letter Y:
• young
• yes
• yule
• yokel
• yesterday

And from the New Phonetic Alphabet: Y for you, and Y for me?