Ignore her and carry on your own conversations, even if she's still talking. She'll get the hint eventually. I'm sure this has happened to her before.

Yikes tough. I am a chatterbox myself- but I usually shut up if someone interrupts me or talks over me. It upsets me but I get over it because I figure they have a reason. Of course if they do it all the time I would ask why. Maybe she doesn't realize. Tell her really nicely that you love talking to her but feel as if she doesn't want to hear you speak and it hurts your feelings.

She has low self-esteem and a needing approval issues. Anonymously give her books on raising self-esteem and conservation etiquette.

Hmmm...I would just tell her to STFU. I think she would get the hint.

I agree with Fallen's idea, most people will get the hint after a little bit of that.

Maybe make a joke about it to her before trying more drastic measures, like "Come on now, let the rest of us get a word in".

My grandma's like this. It's very annoying, so we just take our conversations into the other room, or butt in over her.

OMFG I cannot STAND people like this.
I avoid them at all costs when I figure out this is their game.
Biggest indicator of someone who is like this: They have NO IDEA that they are like this. And they lose friends because of it, without ever understanding why.
Yea, I'd leave the room every time she started on a spiel.Maybe she's figure it out. Or maybe she would ask why I leave, in whic case Id simply tell her flat out.
OMG this is one of my biggest pet peeves.

I don't understand the rotation of posts lately. There hasn't been one new post, they're all posts from 3 weeks ago that come back to the front page. What's going on???

Maybe your SIL is actually anxious around her in-laws or when she's in large groups of your family. You say she is capable of normal conversation at other times, so maybe look back and see when the problem tends to occur. A lot of people talk more when they're nervous and don't realize it. Have you tried pulling her aside discretely and point out her behavior? Kindly let her know what she's doing and that it's bugging people. Tell her it's okay to relax or ask her how you can make her feel more comfortable. If it's really nerves and not self-centeredness causing the chatter, knowing you care about her could help.

I get really nervous and do this. I can't help myself no matter how much I try. It's really embarrassing for me and I know it annoys everyone else. No matter what I try, it doesn't help me.

I'm going to lurk, because I have the same problem with one of my best friends. I love her to death, but I don't want to listen to her talk incessantly about nothing for five hours.

I have several friends with this habit and it can be quite annoying when we are all together. My husband and I came up with the silly idea of the Speaking Spoon, a wooden spoon with a metal handle. We put the Speaking Spoon in the middle of the table or on the coffee table. It has become tradition for whomever is speaking to hold the Spoon. We laugh our butts off when someone grabs the spoon from Miss or Mister chatty-pants. Sounds stupid, but it is fun and it works.

I know quite a few people like this and I would rather have nothing to do with them. I find it incredibly rude and selfish. If they don't care to let me talk, I feel they do not care for me as a person. Regardless if they are aware or not, it just gets to me very quickly.

I have no advice, since you cannot just ditch her as a friend, she is in your fam. Good luck!

I have someone in my life who does this. Trying to carry on our own conversations has gotten pretty tense. She raises her voice and damn near scolds us to listen to her no matter how boring and irrelevant she is. I don't know what to do for this person's self-esteem issues, I try to be as compassionate as possible. I view her as a child that has not grown up even though she is technically an adult.

I have the same situation with a close friend. She knows she talks a lot and several of us have told her several times that she can carry on a conversation by herself, but no one wants to be rude and tell her it's annoying. We met freshman year in college and sometimes to get her out of our room, my roomie and I would pretend we were going to bed early and even THAT was hard to get into the conversation. Course, that doesn't help the OP. I would agree that you should talk over her or ignore her. You might talk to your brother about it too. Maybe he could say something to her (just say his family finds it rude that she dominates the conversation. Saying it's annoying would be more hurtful)or at least know what's going on if you're ignoring his wife when you hang out.

Perhaps you could gently but firmly, tell her that her rants and interruptions are seen as being rude and politely ask her if she can try to converse with the family rather than being being a one-way storyteller.

This also might be a cultural thing. I know that it is much more common (and not seen as rude) to interrupt someone while having a conversation on the east coast. The midwest however, seems to prefer taking actual turns while conversing.

I feel sorry for you - this situation is so annoying. Normally I avoid people like that at all costs, but obviously you can't. Just a few weeks ago I had to go on a driving trip for work w/ other people, and one of my colleagues nattered on forEVER about NOTHING AND she wore awful, head-ache inducing perfume. In that situation, I wrapped my jacket around my head to avoid the smell and went to sleep. In your case, I would try just interrupting her or talking over her while changing the subject to something everyone can participate in, or approach her with very kind humor and maybe make a joke out of the fact that she's a bit of a Chatty Cathy and come up with a way to keep conversation flowing and equal - a solution that she's privvy to. Just make sure she knows that no matter her vocal tendencies everyone still loves her and wants her around, only a little quieter.

karlotta I was wondering the same thing. Maybe there was another staffing shakedown at Sugar Inc?

I met someone like this over the weekend. I swear to you, she couldn't stop herself from talking over everyone and telling long, rambling stories. I don't know her very well, but if it continues, I'm going to take her aside privately and tell her to STFU. I honestly think that she doesn't realize how irritating it is. If I had a problem like that I would really want someone to tell me.

The key is in how you go about it. You cannot embarrass the person. You have to do it privately and gently let her know what's happening.

Personally, I would just passively tune-out what she says, and smile. Also, I would avoid being in her company.

I agree with runninginboston - maybe she is nervous around her in-laws.

I think I'd probably just totally stop talking all together. When she realises she's the only one speaking on and on, maybe she will stop?

this is a really difficult issue. Maybe mention it to your bro and he could discuss it with her tactfully?

It depends on what you think would work. I just had to deal with some one like this the other day. My friends and I were sitting at a coffee shop, and this guy kept butting in with stories we didn't care about, we ended up ignoring him and having our own conversation, which (sorta) worked. He honestly still didn't get the hint, but we at least got to talk among ourselves. Maybe that would work, or as some one else said say something like "Hey, let us get a word in!" or, have your brother talk to her, or maybe talk to her in private about the issue. Something like "it really hurts all of our feelings when you don't let us talk, and you talk over us. We let you talk, and we would like the same courtesy."

I dunno, it really depends on the type of person on how you should approach it.

First, be certain that the majority of your family feels similarly about this woman's conversation style. Second, have the most tactful person amongst you have a polite, private talk with her sometime other than a family gathering. It's important to remember that the cause for her behaviour is unknown. It's also important that she not feel ridiculed or embarassed because that could harm family relations (ie making a joke in front of everyone is not a good idea). Lastly, it is most important to always be civil with others. Using passive-aggressive tactics (ignoring her or excluding her from your conversations with others) turns you into the more offensive party.

PS If the gatherings usually take the form of sit-down/hosted dinners, it is acceptable for the host to set the conversation topic(s) and guide the discussion.

I would take her aside, just you and her, and express your opinion. It isn't really fair to put her down in front of other people. Especially since she is your brother's wife and you will have to continue spending time with her.