![]() ![]() After 1818, editors of Johnson's Dictionary rejected that origin theory. Thus, gibberish was a reference to the incomprehensible technical jargon and allegorical coded language used by Jabir and other alchemists. Samuel Johnson, in A Dictionary of the English Language, published in 1755, wrote that the word gibberish "is probably derived from the chymical cant, and originally implied the jargon of Geber and his tribe." The theory was that gibberish came from the name of a famous 8th century Muslim alchemist, Jābir ibn Hayyān, whose name was Latinized as Geber. To non-speakers, the Anglo-Romany dialect could sound like English mixed with nonsense words, and if those seemingly-nonsensical words are referred to as jib then the term gibberish (pronounced "jibberish") could be derived as a descriptor for nonsensical speech. It may originate from the word jib, which is the Angloromani variant of the Romani language word meaning "language" or "tongue". It is generally thought to be an onomatopoeia imitative of speech, similar to the words jabber (to talk rapidly) and gibber (to speak inarticulately). The term was first seen in English in the early 16th century. Both gibber and gabble refer to speaking quickly or saying something that has no meaning, but gibber is a more formal word than the others and gabble is very old-fashioned.The etymology of gibberish is uncertain. Jabber usually refers to speaking nonsense words or words that cannot be understood rather than referring to fast speech ("They jabbered away in a language I did not understand."). Jabber, gibber, and gabble are not used as frequently as " chatter" and babble. It also sometimes refers to telling a secret or other private information because you are talking so much that you don't even realize what you are saying ("She babbled the whole surprise party plan to me without a thought.") Babble is also commonly used of the sound that babies and very young children make before they can speak well ("The baby babbled while playing in her crib."). But it has two additional meanings that the other words in this group do not have. It is used of quick and meaningless talk ("He babbled on about whatever came into his head."), and of sounds in nature that sound like constant talking or murmuring ("the babbling brook"). It can be used of animals that make sounds that sound like or are compared to speech ("The birds chattered in the tree.") Chatter is also used to describe a quickly repeated clicking or clacking sound, such as the sound made then you are cold and your teeth click together ("Her teeth chattered.").īabble is the next most common of the verbs listed. It usually refers to speaking quickly, brightly, and in a way that does not communicate a meaning or a purpose to what you are saying ("She chattered away while her friend's mind wandered."). They are useful verbs, but they each have their own connotation.Ĭhatter is the most common of all the verbs listed. The verbs gibber, chatter, babble, gabble, and jabber all are used to refer to speaking very quickly, to saying words that do not communicate a meaning, or to saying nonsense words. Kory Stamper, an editor of the Learner's Dictionary,has looked into this question: A reader asks: "The verbs gibber, chatter, babble, gabble, and jabber seem to mean the same thing and I don't know which to use and where to use them.
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