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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2
stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2 |
Hello,
could anyone please tell me about the etymology for this word?
Thanks, Anat
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981 |
I'm pretty sure it comes from the word "Gibber" - to make the characteristic sound of a monkey. Its an imitative word - according to my Collins Dictionary - 17th century.
(For Ozzies - I see there is another Australian meaning for gibber - boulder or stone, or dry flat area covered in stones - as in gibber plans)
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460
addict
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addict
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460 |
Hello efroch:
My Shorter Oxford dates "gibberish" as early 16th century and defines it as "unintelligible speech belonging to no known language, a series of meaningless sounds; blundering or ungrammatical talk; nonsense".
Cheers Paul Bywater
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