chattering class: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, often journalistic and slightly derogatory.
Quick answer
What does “chattering class” mean?
A social class, typically well-educated and affluent, who frequently discuss politics, society, and culture, especially in the media, but are perceived as having little real influence or practical engagement.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A social class, typically well-educated and affluent, who frequently discuss politics, society, and culture, especially in the media, but are perceived as having little real influence or practical engagement.
A term often used dismissively to refer to journalists, academics, commentators, and other intellectuals who are seen as engaging in endless talk and opinion-forming without action, responsibility, or connection to practical realities.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originated and is more commonly used in British English, particularly in political and media discourse. In American English, similar concepts might be expressed by terms like 'the talking heads', 'the commentariat', or 'the coastal elite', though these are not perfect synonyms.
Connotations
In the UK, it strongly connotes a metropolitan, often London-centric, liberal elite. In the US, if used, it may be applied to similar media/academic circles but lacks the same specific national history.
Frequency
Significantly more frequent in UK media and political commentary. Rare in everyday American speech.
Grammar
How to Use “chattering class” in a Sentence
The + chattering classes + verb (are, believe, discuss)Adjective (liberal, metropolitan) + chattering classesVerb (despise, dismiss, ignore) + the chattering classesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chattering class” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The columnists were chattering on about the ministerial reshuffle.
- He spent the evening chattering away about constitutional reform.
American English
- The pundits chattered endlessly about the latest scandal.
- She chattered on about the cultural significance of the film.
adverb
British English
- They discussed the issue chatteringly but without depth.
adjective
British English
- It was a classic chattering-class concern, ignored by most voters.
- He wrote for a chattering-class magazine.
American English
- The debate was dismissed as chattering-class navel-gazing.
- A chattering-class viewpoint from the coasts.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in commentary on business media or perceptions of economic policy.
Academic
Used in sociology, media studies, and political science as a descriptive, often critical, term.
Everyday
Uncommon in casual conversation. Heard mainly in political discussions or media analysis.
Technical
Not a technical term, but used as a socio-political label.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chattering class”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “chattering class”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chattering class”
- Using 'chattering class' in a positive or neutral way without recognizing its inherent criticism.
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a chattering class') instead of the collective 'the chattering classes'.
- Confusing it with 'working class' or other socio-economic classifications.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is almost always used in a derogatory or dismissive way to imply that the group is out of touch and only engages in talk.
No, it is a specific socio-political term. Using it for, say, a group of chatty friends would be incorrect and sound odd.
They are closely related. 'Commentariat' focuses specifically on media commentators. 'Chattering classes' is broader, including educated, opinionated people in general, not just professional commentators, and is more distinctly British and derogatory.
Extremely rare. The term is fundamentally a plural collective noun: 'the chattering classes'.
A social class, typically well-educated and affluent, who frequently discuss politics, society, and culture, especially in the media, but are perceived as having little real influence or practical engagement.
Chattering class is usually informal, often journalistic and slightly derogatory. in register.
Chattering class: in British English it is pronounced /ˈʧætərɪŋ klɑːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈʧætərɪŋ klæs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A favourite topic of the chattering classes”
- “To be dismissed as chattering-class concern”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a room full of people CHATTERing loudly about politics over expensive coffee – they form a distinct CLASS known for talk, not action.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS A BODY, where the 'chattering class' is the mouth or voice – constantly speaking but not acting. Also, INTELLECTUAL DISCUSSION IS IDLE NOISE.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary connotation of 'the chattering classes'?