What Is Idle Talk?

Idle chatter is that talk which is not directed toward some good end either by habitual intention or actual deliberation and which does not take into appropriate account duty, time (occasions or actual time), place (location or status), and other circumstances (such as remaining recollected or maintaining appropriate boundaries), which make communication most effective and proper.

Cf. Germain Grisez, The Way of the Lord Jesus, vol. 2, ch. 7, q. B, 1.e.

A good end is always determined by love of God and love of neighbor, either individually or communally. This love of neighbor, whether individually or communally, may manifest itself in the desire to foster peaceful relations or just relations; to aid the poor, suffering, or neglected by attending to them with words of comfort or conversation; to respect our superiors or those in offices of honor or power, such as a judge, an officer, or our boss; etc.

Time, place, and circumstances with respect to 1) our duties and responsibilities; 2) our recollection in God; 3) our appropriate boundaries. 

1) With respect to duties, making sure that our conversation will not make us negligent in our duties in any way; making sure that our conversation doesn't lead us to escape burdens, commitments, conflicts that must be resolved or faced. Such conversation often imposes on others.

2) With respect to recollection, making sure our conversation doesn't draw us away from God and immerse us totally or even predominantly in creaturely things unless these are subordinated and directed to God habitually or actually. Such conversation affords many occasions of sins.

3) With respect to maintaining appropriate boundaries, making sure our conversation would not put us in danger of blurring physical, emotional, and spiritual boundaries that keep us safe and out of occasions of sin. Such conversation is also respectful of others' duties and responsibilities.

Scripture speaks of right language as edifying (Eph. 4:29), as calm, joyful, gentle, honest and upright (Col 3:8), pure, moral, dignified, mature, in its proper place, and grateful (Eph. 5:4), directed towards the supernatural, non-argumentative (1 Tim. 6:20b-21), sensitive, considerate, patient, fraternally correcting when necessary (2 Tim. 2:14-17, 23-26), careful, and coming from the depths of our hearts (Mt. 12:34b-37).