garrulous English · revision 1347

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɡæɹ.ʊ.ləs/, /ˈɡæɹ.jʊ.ləs/ ''(UK)''; /ˈɡɛɹ.ə.ləs/, /ˈɡɛɹ.jə.ləs/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|garrulus|t=talkative, chattering]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from [[la|garrīre|t=to chatter]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) with the suffix [[-ous]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU) Etymonline traces it to an imitative root ''*gar-'' “to call, cry”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Given to much talking or chatter (about 1611).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Barnhart notes that it may also be a back-formation from ''garrulity'' (1581).^(Barnhart 1995) It was later applied to birds and babbling things (1854)^(OED 1989) and to speech full of long rambling statements (1838–39).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1581 – ''garrulity''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * about 1611 – talkative.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1838–39 – of speech, wordy.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1854 – of birds and things, chattering.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Too fond of talking, especially about trivial things; tiresomely [[talkative]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Wordy and rambling.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[garrulously]]

+ * [[garrulousness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[garrulity]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House gives ''prating'' and ''babbling'' as synonyms, refers to ''talkative'' for a discussion, and gives ''reticent'', ''uncommunicative'', ''taciturn'' and ''close-mouthed'' as antonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}