ya-ta-ta

[yah-tuh-tuh, yat-uh-tuh]

noun

Slang.

1. empty conversation.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ya-ta-ta¹

An Americanism dating back to 1945–50; imitative

Example Sentences

In his opening scenes, showing civic stuffed shirts unveiling a monument, the speeches come through as squeaky noises that are at once a spoof of the speakers' pomposity and a nose-thumbing Chaplin commentary on the ya-ta-ta of the early talkies.

Read more on Time Magazine Archive

It had a big TV set going ya-ta-ta ya-ta-ta in three glorious colors, and a jukebox that tried to drown out the TV with that lousy music they play.

Read more on Project Gutenberg