A concept so widely discussed even The Wall Street Journal has tossed their opinion in on it - what is boomer-asking and how is it ruining conversations?

According to the Irish Independent’s Kirsty Blake Knox, boomer-asking is: “When someone sidles up to you and asks a seemingly innocuous question, skims over your answer and uses it as a launch pad to start wagging on about themselves and what they've been up to.”

The Wall Street Journal recently described the practice as “a self-centred foul” in conversation.

To them, it completely “ruins the magic of sincere exchanges”.

The word was coined after the action of a boomerang – asking the question and pulling it back to yourself - rather than anything to do with the Boomer generation.

On Moncrieff, Ms Knox said there are three different types of boomer-asking.

“The first is when someone's looking to brag,” she said.

“So, you know, ahead of the bank holiday, someone might ask you if you've got any plans, and you'll tell them that you're planning on de-icing your fridge freezer and then they'll tell you about this incredibly exotic trip they're going on…

“You realise that they never really cared about your fridge freezer or [your plans].”

Man and woman are sitting at sofa at home and talking. Image: Alamy

The next type is the “complaining one”, followed by a more neutral type or the “boring stuff”, Ms Knox said.

“They'll kind of ask you a question, then just use it to kind of go on about a pet hate of theirs or a kind of run in they've had,” she said.

“I think the last one is more of a neutral one, where it's just people using you as an opportunity to talk about things - like what they dreamt of that night.

“I find that the most offensive because [its] the really, really boring stuff - at least with the bragging and the complaining, it can be interesting.

“It's when someone goes on one of those long winded, shaggy gog stories that doesn't have any point that you really feel like you've lost precious moments of your life.”

Two angry girls talking seriously sitting in a coffee shop. Image: Alamy

Ms Knox said she believes it’s a situation that has “happened to everyone”.

“I think the reason why it fronts people is because, first off, it's happened to everyone - I think everyone's been in a situation where you realise that someone has zero interest in you and they just love the sound of their own voice and hearing about themselves,” she said.

“But it also creates a sense of distrust because if you get the impression someone doesn't really care, it kind of makes you a bit less inclined to talk openly with them.

“So they were saying it's a real conversational foul, because it kind of ruins the conversation you're currently having, and will ruin future ones, because people won't want to engage with you.”

Ms Knox also gave a guide around things not to do in conversations – like not to give monosyllabic answers, not looking over the other person’s shoulder, and more.

Listen back here:

Bored girl listening to her friend having a conversation. Image: Antonio Guillem Fernández / Alamy Stock Photo