jabber English · revision 1324

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈd͡ʒæbə(ɹ)/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) earlier ''jablen'' (about 1405), ''javeren'' and ''jaberen'' (1499),^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) probably of imitative origin.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Random House compares [[gibber]] and [[gab]].^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To talk rapidly and indistinctly (about 1405, as ''jablen'').^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The OED's first record is from 1499.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The spelling ''jabber'' is first recorded in 1655.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The transitive sense, to utter rapidly, often of a foreign language spoken contemptuously, is from 1532,^(OED 1989) and the noun from 1727.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * about 1405 – ''jablen''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1499 – ''jaberen'', to chatter.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1532 – to utter rapidly.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1655 – the spelling ''jabber''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1727 – noun, rapid talk.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To talk rapidly, indistinctly or idly; to [[chatter]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To say something rapidly or unintelligibly.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Rapid, babbling or meaningless talk; [[gibberish]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[jabberer]]

+ * [[jabberingly]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gibber]]

+ * [[gab]]

+ * [[jibber-jabber]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}