701:
If the word gibberish was, as has been asserted, first applied to the language of the
Gipsies, it may have been derived either from "Gip," the nickname for Gipsy, with ish or rish appended as in Engl-ish, I-rish, or from the Rommany word jib signifying a language. . . . Writers on such subjects err,
702:
almost without an exception, in insisting on one accurately defined and singly derived source for every word, when perhaps three or four have combined to form it. . . . Gibberish may have come from the Gipsy, and at the same time owe something to gabble, jabber, and the old Norse or
Icelandic gifra.
317:, characterized professional gobbledygook as sloppy jargon intended to confuse nonspecialists: "'Gobbledygook' may indicate a failure to think clearly, a contempt for one's clients, or more probably a mixture of both. A system that can't or won't communicate is not a safe basis for a democracy."
884:
This remark was apparently repeated in all the unabridged versions of
Johnson's Dictionary until 1818, when H. J. Todd published his revised edition of the work. Under the entry for gibberish, Todd records 'Dr. Johnson's' comments on the word's etymology and then offers evidence differing from
284:
explained tax law revisions in an address to the nation with the word, May 28, 1985, saying that "most didn’t improve the system; they made it more like
Washington itself: Complicated, unfair, cluttered with gobbledygook and loopholes, designed for those with the power and influence to hire
237:, a former congressman from Texas and former mayor of San Antonio. When Maverick was chairman of the Smaller War Plants Corporation during World War II, he sent a memorandum that said: "Be short and use plain English. ... Stay off gobbledygook language." Maverick defined
1162:
People asked me how I got the word. I do not know. It must have come in a vision. Perhaps I was thinking of the old bearded turkey gobbler back in Texas who was always gobbledygobbling and strutting with ridiculous pomposity. At the end of his gobble there was a sort of
388:, making it difficult for those outside the field to understand. Speakers or writers of officialese or legalese may recognize that it is confusing or even meaningless to outsiders, but view its use as appropriate within their organization or group.
900:
A Glossary of
Obscure Words and Phrases in the Writings of Shakspeare and his contemporaries Traced Etymologically to the ancient language of the British people as spoken before the irruption of the Danes and
135:
word meaning "language" or "tongue". 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
762:
273:
describing a situation to Nixon as "... a bunch of gobbledygook. But out of the gobbledygook comes a very clear thing: You can't trust the government; you can't believe what they say."
258:
The term "gobbledygook" has a long history of use in politics to deride deliberately obscure statements and complicated but ineffective explanations. The following are a few examples:
306:
155:, 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
206:("back talk, backward chat"). The latter Irish etymology was suggested by Daniel Cassidy, whose work has been criticised by linguists and scholars. The terms
778:
83:". The implication is that the criticized expression or proposition lacks substance or congruence, as opposed to being a differing view.
1176:
1117:
987:
384:, and others involved with the law. The language used in these fields may contain complex sentences and specialized jargon or
297:
dismissed quantitative sociological reasoning as "gobbledygook" in 2017, when arguing against using any mathematical test for
1384:
1350:
1218:
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610:
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184:
151:
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532:
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1234:
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723:
75:
to denigrate or tar ideas or opinions the user disagrees with or finds irksome, a rough equivalent of "nonsense", "
241:
as "talk or writing which is long, pompous, vague, involved, usually with
Latinized words." The allusion was to a
106:
is uncertain. The term was first seen in
English in the early 16th century. It is generally thought to be an
1273:
1323:
278:
1253:
342:" in gibberish as an intentional mimic of the sound of English to those who are not fluent in the language.
1464:
20:
1479:
633:
627:
460:
339:
495:
326:
Using gibberish whilst acting can be used as an improvisation exercise in theatre arts education.
1013:
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1059:
266:
164:
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8:
27:
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800:
743:
552:
1489:
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1346:
1319:
1214:
1203:
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1105:
Subject: Lengthy memoranda and gobbledygook language. Be short and use plain
English.
1039:
936:
768:
747:
672:
637:
606:
556:
490:
335:
49:
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1407:
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395:, a slang term referring to confusing or a generally unintelligible use of jargon.
310:
1484:
1374:
1340:
1258:
132:
584:
Linguistic
Communications: Working Papers of the Linguistic Society of Australia
1435:
1085:"Memorandum from Maury Maverick to Everybody in Smaller War Plants Corporation"
548:
533:"A systematic examination of gibberish in a multilingual schizophrenic patient"
410:
298:
270:
234:
191:
146:
1310:
Improvisation for the Theater: A handbook of teaching and directing techniques
842:
1458:
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314:
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61:
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80:
76:
1439:
1303:
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475:
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294:
107:
1092:
1238:
582:
Laycock, D. (1972). "Towards a typology of ludlings, or play-languages".
470:
420:
415:
351:
128:
72:
739:
510:
381:
57:
1314:(3rd ed.). Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press. p.
455:
435:
425:
369:
245:, "always gobbledygobbling and strutting with ridiculous pomposity."
190:
A discredited alternative theory asserts that it is derived from the
99:
929:
How the Irish Invented Slang: The secret language of the crossroads
445:
405:
385:
355:
45:
601:
Stevenson, Angus; Lindberg, Christine A. (2010). "jibber-jabber".
159:
came from the name of a famous 8th century Muslim alchemist,
123:
1091:. US National Archives and Records Administration. Archived from
480:
392:
180:
714:
Seaborg, Glenn T. (March 1980). "Our heritage of the elements".
430:
377:
176:
65:
764:
It's a Wonderful Word: The Real Origins of Our Favourite Words
505:
1376:
Narrating the Organization: Dramas of Institutional Identity
376:
is a closely related concept, referring to language used by
485:
53:
26:"Gobbledigook" redirects here. For the Sigur Rós song, see
904:. S. Low, Marston, Searle, and Rivington. pp. 183–184
143:
could be derived as a descriptor for nonsensical speech.
179:
and allegorical coded language used by Jabir and other
1444:
90:
refers to rapid talk that is difficult to understand.
44:, is a speech or a text that is (or appears to be)
1307:
1202:
175:was a reference to the incomprehensible technical
661:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2013.
600:
1456:
632:. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. pp.
530:
1205:Strange Days Indeed: The Golden Age of Paranoia
1400:
1445:The Online Dictionary of Language Terminology
760:
754:
1372:
925:"A Dictionary of Irish-American Vernacular"
866:Kolb, Gwin J.; Demaria, Robert Jr. (1998).
865:
699:. New York: Hurd and Houghton. p. 88.
956:Brady, Michael Patrick (17 October 2007).
825:Amr, Samir S.; Tbakhi, Abdelghani (2007).
716:Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B
214:are certainly Irish words, but the phrase
110:imitative of speech, similar to the words
1118:"Gobbledygook? Lay off it, Maverick says"
885:Johnson's surmise and none supporting it.
850:
824:
625:
531:Robertson, J.P.S.; Shamsie, S.J. (1959).
1144:
1082:
868:"Dr. Johnson's etymology of 'gibberish'"
345:
1254:"The Supreme Court is allergic to math"
1174:
985:
922:
798:
713:
629:The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories
581:
1457:
1338:
1332:
1302:
1251:
1011:
896:
696:The English Gipsies and Their Language
692:
1200:
955:
68:that seems nonsensical to outsiders.
1061:Maverick and Gobbledygook (minicast)
285:high-priced legal and tax advisers."
152:A Dictionary of the English Language
1235:"Simpson's contemporary quotations"
202:("mouth") or from the Irish phrase
13:
1252:Roeder, Oliver (17 October 2017).
1012:Zwicky, Arnold (9 November 2007).
988:"Humdinger of a Bad Irish Scholar"
986:Barrett, Grant (9 November 2007).
291:Supreme Court of the United States
222:exists as a loan-word in Irish as
14:
1501:
1436:A statistical gibberish generator
1429:
1147:"The case against 'Gobbledygook'"
1083:Maverick, Maury (24 March 1944).
1175:Gartner, Michael (26 May 1985).
1379:. University of Chicago Press.
1366:
1296:
1266:
1245:
1227:
1194:
1168:
1145:Maverick, Maury (21 May 1944).
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1005:
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949:
916:
890:
859:
818:
799:Quinion, Michael (3 Oct 2015).
792:
767:. London, UK: Random House UK.
605:. Oxford University Press USA.
253:
121:It may originate from the word
71:"Gibberish" is also used as an
1342:Garner on Language and Writing
1280:. October 2007. Archived from
1237:. Bartleby.com. Archived from
707:
686:
665:
650:
619:
603:New Oxford American Dictionary
594:
575:
524:
338:wrote and performed the song "
1:
1373:Czarniawska, Barbara (1997).
1089:The National Archives Catalog
1038:. An Gúm. 1992. p. 630.
673:"Online Etymology Dictionary"
517:
218:does not exist, and the word
187:rejected that origin theory.
16:Nonsensical speech or writing
1450:Gibberish - World Wide Words
1345:. American Bar Association.
1014:"Gullibility in high places"
960:How the Irish Invented Slang
321:
93:
7:
1209:. Public Affairs. pp.
693:Leland, Charles G. (1873).
626:Chantrell, Glynnis (2002).
398:
334:The Italian musical artist
269:from June 14, 1971, showed
118:(to speak inarticulately).
10:
1506:
549:10.1177/002383095900200102
368:refer to language used by
349:
329:
25:
21:Gibberish (disambiguation)
18:
1339:Garner, Bryan A. (2009).
1064:(audio). A Way with Words
931:. CounterPunch. pp.
874:. Oxford University Press
843:10.5144/0256-4947.2007.53
659:Oxford English Dictionary
461:Prisencolinensinainciusol
340:Prisencolinensinainciusol
311:National Consumer Council
309:, former chairman to the
183:. After 1818, editors of
923:Cassidy, Daniel (2007).
897:Mackay, Charles (1887).
831:Annals of Saudi Medicine
496:Stanley Unwin (comedian)
1470:16th-century neologisms
1201:Wheen, Francis (2010).
1036:Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla
248:
114:(to talk rapidly) and
1274:"Contemporary Quotes"
761:Jack, Albert (2011).
350:Further information:
346:Other terms and usage
79:", "balderdash", or "
441:Mumbo jumbo (phrase)
185:Johnson's Dictionary
52:that are not actual
19:For other uses, see
1241:on 7 December 2008.
732:1980MTB....11....5S
563:on February 2, 2013
537:Language and Speech
28:Gobbledigook (song)
1465:Gibberish language
1151:The New York Times
827:"Jabir ibn Hayyan"
740:10.1007/bf02657166
1386:978-0-226-13229-7
1352:978-1-61632-679-1
1220:978-0-00-744120-4
1181:Milwaukee Journal
1045:978-1-85791-037-7
942:978-1-904859-60-4
612:978-0-19-539288-3
491:Spin (propaganda)
336:Adriano Celentano
163:, whose name was
86:The related word
48:: ranging across
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1480:English language
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990:. Archived from
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777:. Archived from
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559:. Archived from
543:(1). Sage: 1–8.
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372:or authorities.
267:Oval Office tape
161:Jābir ibn Hayyān
64:and specialized
36:, also known as
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1284:on 23 July 2012
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1259:FiveThirtyEight
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1126:. 31 March 1944
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391:Bafflegab is a
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133:Romani language
131:variant of the
127:, which is the
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271:H. R. Haldeman
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235:Maury Maverick
233:was coined by
147:Samuel Johnson
139:then the term
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62:language games
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1095:on 6 May 2016
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657:"gibberish".
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50:speech sounds
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38:jibber-jabber
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1415:. Retrieved
1411:
1402:
1390:. Retrieved
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1368:
1356:. Retrieved
1341:
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1298:
1286:. Retrieved
1282:the original
1277:
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1239:the original
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1184:. Retrieved
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1097:. Retrieved
1093:the original
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1066:. Retrieved
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1018:. Retrieved
1007:
996:. Retrieved
992:the original
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906:. Retrieved
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876:. Retrieved
871:
861:
837:(1): 52–53.
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783:. Retrieved
779:the original
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565:. Retrieved
561:the original
540:
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501:Technobabble
476:Scat singing
466:Onomatopoeia
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295:John Roberts
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254:Gobbledygook
239:gobbledygook
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140:
136:
122:
120:
115:
111:
108:onomatopoeia
103:
97:
87:
85:
70:
42:gobbledygook
41:
37:
33:
32:
1475:Terminology
1408:"bafflegab"
1392:11 February
1358:11 February
801:"Gibberish"
471:Lorem ipsum
421:Glossolalia
416:Double-talk
382:legislators
362:officialese
352:Officialese
216:geab ar ais
204:Geab ar ais
129:Angloromani
73:imprecation
58:pseudowords
1459:Categories
1417:4 February
1325:0810140098
1288:4 February
1278:Chat11.com
1186:4 February
1156:20 January
1130:4 February
1099:21 January
1068:28 January
998:2014-03-24
966:PopMatters
908:5 February
810:20 January
785:2015-06-28
678:6 February
567:4 February
518:References
511:Word salad
360:The terms
181:alchemists
1438:based on
748:137614510
590:: 61–113.
557:142914934
456:Pig Latin
436:Minionese
426:Grammelot
386:buzzwords
370:officials
322:In acting
279:President
229:The term
220:gibberish
173:gibberish
165:Latinized
157:gibberish
141:gibberish
104:gibberish
100:etymology
94:Etymology
34:Gibberish
1490:Nonsense
1306:(1999).
1020:24 March
971:24 March
726:: 5–19.
446:Nonsense
406:Babbling
399:See also
374:Legalese
356:Legalese
293:justice
212:geabaire
171:. Thus,
81:claptrap
77:folderol
46:nonsense
933:155–156
878:15 July
852:6077026
728:Bibcode
481:Simlish
393:synonym
378:lawyers
330:In song
224:gibiris
1485:Jargon
1383:
1349:
1322:
1217:
1042:
939:
901:Saxons
849:
771:
746:
640:
609:
555:
431:Jargon
243:turkey
177:jargon
116:gibber
112:jabber
66:jargon
1211:11–12
1163:gook.
744:S2CID
722:(1).
553:S2CID
506:Walla
194:word
192:Irish
169:Geber
149:, in
54:words
1419:2014
1394:2014
1381:ISBN
1360:2014
1347:ISBN
1320:ISBN
1290:2014
1215:ISBN
1188:2014
1158:2016
1132:2014
1101:2016
1070:2017
1040:ISBN
1022:2014
973:2014
937:ISBN
910:2014
880:2021
812:2016
769:ISBN
680:2014
638:ISBN
607:ISBN
569:2014
486:SMOG
354:and
210:and
208:geab
98:The
1316:112
847:PMC
839:doi
736:doi
634:231
545:doi
364:or
313:of
265:'s
249:Use
200:gab
198:or
196:gob
167:as
137:jib
124:jib
102:of
40:or
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