The phrase "talks one ear off" is commonly used to describe someone who talks incessantly and perhaps too much. The spelling of the phrase in IPA phonetic transcription is /tɔks wʌn ɪr ɔf/. The "t" in "talks" is pronounced with a voiceless alveolar plosive, while the "w" sound in "one" is a voiced labio-velar approximant. The "ɪr" in "ear" is pronounced with the long "i" followed by the rhotic "r" sound, and the "ff" in "off" is a voiceless labiodental fricative followed by a pronounced cutoff.
The phrase "talks one ear off" refers to a situation where someone excessively and relentlessly talks, often monopolizing a conversation or discussion. The term is used idiomatically to describe an individual who engages in incessant and lengthy conversations, without providing an opportunity for the listener to contribute or express their thoughts.
When someone "talks one ear off," they tend to dominate the discussion by speaking at length, disregarding social cues or the listener's interest. It implies a lack of balance and consideration for the other person's participation in the conversation. The speaker may disregard or ignore the listener's non-verbal cues, such as signs of boredom or disinterest.
This phrase also suggests that the speaker's discourse may be tedious or uninteresting to the listener. The listener may feel overwhelmed or exhausted due to the excessive amount of talk, as if one ear is figuratively "taken off" or rendered numb from the relentless flow of words.
The expression "talks one ear off" conveys the notion of an imbalanced conversation where the speaker fails to engage in a mutual exchange of ideas and thoughts. It emphasizes the speaker's incessant verbosity and may imply the listener's desire for more balanced and interactive dialogue.