# Gabbers, and their gabbing **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 24, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469 "2006-01-24T23:24:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/41 "2006-01-25T05:23:31Z")
::Makes the Talky-Talky sign with thumb and four fingers:: I’m not annoyed **Andrew** , I’m amused. It’s like you’ve got blue balls, or somethin. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/42 "2006-01-25T05:24:35Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > Seriously, guys, come on- please, let’s not start jumping on me. I won’t be starting 15 threads in one night in the future- this was an exception. I’ll hold you to that. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/43 "2006-01-25T05:26:45Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > \*\* > THE GREATEST COMEBACK IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD!!!\*\* > > 😃 Seriously, guys, come on- please, let’s not start jumping on me. I won’t be starting 15 threads in one night in the future- this was an exception. > > And before you make the joke, ^^ my ‘coming back’ was the worst in the history of the world. In case you were gonna say that. You’re OK kiddo. If you’re gonna make a pit thread, you’re gonna get pushed around. Don’t beg for gentleness in the pit. Quit it with the “I’m new!” crap. Don’t try to be cute. You wanna start 15 threads, you’re gonna get slapped down for 15 threads. Don’t whine. We’ll eat you. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/44 "2006-01-25T06:17:24Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > You’re OK kiddo. If you’re gonna make a pit thread, you’re gonna get pushed around. Don’t beg for gentleness in the pit. Quit it with the “I’m new!” crap. Don’t try to be cute. You wanna start 15 threads, you’re gonna get slapped down for 15 threads. Don’t whine. We’ll eat you. Cthulhu? Is that you? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/45 "2006-01-25T06:36:22Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > d.) talking in threads is **conversating** ; gabbing isn’t Conversating?!! That isn’t even a proper word. The word that you needed was [conversing](http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/conversing). ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/46 "2006-01-25T06:36:46Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > We all need to become familiar with one phrase: “Get. A. Blog.” 15 OPs in one day? GET A FUCKING BLOG. Most of your OPs are stupid and pointless. SHUT THE FUCK UP. ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/47 "2006-01-25T06:48:19Z")
> [@Go You Big Red Fire Engine](#): > > 15 OPs in one day? > > GET A FUCKING BLOG. Most of your OPs are stupid and pointless. SHUT THE FUCK UP. With the Gabbers- as I said last page- they talk _about themselves_. With my threads- except maybe for this one, in which I describe briefly a circumstance which obviously has relevance to more than myself- I don’t talk about myself, I start convos on subjects so as to learn. Christ, there’s a big fucking difference. Okay, here’s a way we can turn this thread into something productive: let’s talk about some ways in which we, the Gabbees, can end the Gabbers chatter when they corner us. For instance, certain excuses that work most often, and how to interject them the best. Or maybe pretending that your phone is going off, then saying it’s an emergency- that’d work a few times. 😉 Let’s discuss. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/48 "2006-01-25T06:54:24Z")
Well if you’re in the car, just say, “yeah”. And blast the stereo. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/49 "2006-01-25T06:55:14Z")
I have a workmate who is worse than a gabber. All she does is ask mundane pointless questions, and she will just continue to ask them even if I don’t respond or just shrug. What techniques should I apply to that situation? And similarly, would that solution work with you? ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/50 "2006-01-25T06:55:40Z")
Or, you could admit that your passive aggressiveness is exacerbating the situation with a person who’s chattiness annoys you since it isn’t about things that interest you, and you don’t have the gumption to either start conversations on topics you do like, or steer the conversation towards things you are interested in. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/51 "2006-01-25T07:04:20Z")
> [@Go You Big Red Fire Engine](#): > > I have a workmate who is worse than a gabber. All she does > [@Stinkum](#): > > I work with two … And she’s off … The other one, well, I hear all about hero Three more females… while admittedly a tiny sample of anecdotes, this ratio is seriously skewed thus far. Something like a 16 to 2 female to male gabber ratio (the teacher doesn’t count because he was entertaining). Why the discrepancy? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/52 "2006-01-25T07:22:16Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > e.) ::_Makes the Fuck You sign with hand and middle finger_:: :wally So good to have you back. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/53 "2006-01-25T07:27:54Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > Why the discrepancy? p.s. oh yeah add my wife that’s one more 😃 (I’m really not a misogynist, just curious. Sometimes it’s endearing, sometimes it’s just, as **MLS** suggested, “Any idea or memory emerging in the brain simply spills out the mouth without filtering of any kind.”) ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/54 "2006-01-25T07:28:34Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > So good to have you back. Well, it was inevitable. During his vacation from here, he must have driven all of his friend crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/55 "2006-01-25T07:44:06Z")
Well… I would hate to get a legitimate pit thread moved to GQ or GD 😉 but I’ll offer a guess: Perhaps men have been taught all our lives to be the strong silent type? Or perhaps we have been ridiculed by our peers more consistently harshly for “letting it flow” because our impulses are inherently more juvenile and offensive? Therefore maybe we know our big mouths get us into trouble so we are more likely to build that _STFU_ filter? Again, just guesses… ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/56 "2006-01-25T08:18:49Z")
Chris Rock said it best- women are the talkers. If there was a talking olympics, we would lose. Seriously, though, it probably has a lot to do with the fact that women are (I’m generalizing, and with stereotypes) more open about their lives, their emotions; and they talk to each other more about everything, whereas men usually just talk out of their asses. Hank Hill: ‘Yup.’ Boomhauer: ‘Yup.’ Dale: ‘Dang on man tell you man that thing there was… Yup, man.’ ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/57 "2006-01-25T12:14:32Z")
Two of my favorite quotes seem to apply here: From _The Four Seasons_: **You think whenever your brain has a thought, it has to just drop down onto your tongue like a gumball.** From _Angel_: **You is talky meat. Don’t make me come down there.** ---
**Author:** ![liberty3701](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@liberty3701](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liberty3701)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/58 "2006-01-25T14:39:12Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > **liberty3701** , is your roommate straight? > > Just askin’, is all. He appears to be (not like my last overly chatty male roommate, who claimed to be straight but we all knew better). I mean, he dresses horendously, talks about exgirlfriends, cooks a lot of gross food, watches sci-fi, and smells up the apartment. Even my gay friend said he talked too damn much, and that’s saying something, because my friend is quite talky, too (but he’s interesting and lets you get a word in edgewise). Now that I think about it, the gabbiest people in my life have all been men. I’m quiet, so maybe I attract them… ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/59 "2006-01-25T14:41:48Z")
I once asked a friend if he were ever afraid his tongue would fall out one day from over use. He still didn’t get it. Ol’ turbo tongue we call him. Sometimes he does have to be told point blank to be quiet. I like the guy but I do not need incessant commentary about each and every little thing all the time he’s around. I have found that after about five or six beers he gets very quiet. He gets offered a lot of beer by me and others he knows. Hey, maybe he’s got a good racket goin’ on there. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469/60 "2006-01-25T14:54:27Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > Yep, I knew it- I knew you guys would fling my thread back at me when you noticed all the threads I was starting. > > Except here’s the thing- > > a.) you don’t _hear_ my words > b.) you _choose_ to enter my threads > c.) my threads actually have points; her gabbing often doesn’t. > d.) talking in threads is conversating; gabbing isn’t > e.) ::_Makes the Fuck You sign with hand and middle finger_:: :wally Do you like getting sexed up the butt? If not, why not? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabbers-and-their-gabbing/341469.md?page=4)