The word "Chaffern" can be spelled using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /ˈtʃæfərn/. The first sound is a voiceless postalveolar affricate, "ch," which is followed by the short "a" sound /æ/ and the "f" sound /f/. The next syllable contains the short "u" sound /ə/ and the "r" sound /r/. The word is commonly used in British English to describe someone who talks excessively or idly, often chattering on about nothing of importance.