Scottish word of the day: Yammer

Published on 06/09/2012 19:01

To talk incessantly, often without saying anything of importance.

“I can hardly hear myself think with you yammering away”

An excellent example of the wider usage the word has gained outside Scotland is as the moniker of an American-founded social networking service, described as “Facebook for business” which allows private communication within organisations.

Yammer, which as of 2010 is used by 80,000 companies worldwide, was bought last month by Microsoft for £1.2 billion.

The more onomatopoeic ‘yatter’, which imitates the sound of people chattering, has the same meaning.