Why is it so satisfying to have a good chinwag? Contrary to beliefs about gossiping, the practice might not be as negative as it seems. Evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar posits that gossiping developed as a way to disseminate important information throughout a social network. The word “chinwag” was formed from the combination of “chin” and “wag,” likely a humorous way of describing the movement your chin makes when you’re having a vigorous chat.