Talkative

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈtɔːkətɪv/

Definitions

1. Eager to communicate and share opinions through spoken language
2. Exhibiting a propensity to converse freely and at length on a variety of subjects
3. Characterized by a tendency to engage in frequent or prolonged speech

Etymology: "Talkative" is a plain English construction: the verb "talk" with the suffix "-ative," which turns a verb into an adjective describing a tendency or habit. Its earliest English form appeared in Middle English as "talkatyve," so the word has been describing chatty people for roughly as long as English has recognizable grammar of its own. The base, "talk," is itself the more interesting part of the story. It goes back to Middle English "talken," a verb of uncertain ancestry, which emerged alongside "tale" and "tell" in the sense of speaking and recounting. Over the centuries "talk" moved from a mainly everyday word for conversation toward its current range of meanings, including formal discussion and even gossip. The "-ative" ending is what gives the word its character. It attaches to verbs to describe an inclination, so a talkative person is one who is inclined to talk, much as an "argumentative" person is inclined to argue. The suffix arrived in English through French from Latin, which is why the word sounds more formal than its simple base.

Synonyms: chatty, loquacious, garrulous, verbose, conversational

Antonyms: silent, reserved, taciturn, quiet, muffled