{"id":494,"date":"2012-02-27T09:00:07","date_gmt":"2012-02-27T14:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=494"},"modified":"2012-01-19T22:34:07","modified_gmt":"2012-01-20T03:34:07","slug":"gibberish-and-gobbledygook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/gibberish-and-gobbledygook\/","title":{"rendered":"Gibberish and Gobbledygook"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gibberish<\/strong><\/a> is a generic* term in English for speech that sounds like actual English words or language, but actually are not words and are just groups of sounds that have no real meaning.\u00a0 Gobbledygook<\/strong><\/a> is a term similar to gibberish<\/a>, but it is used to explain meaningless text or written language.\u00a0 The best thing about both of these words, in my opinion, is they are so fun to say! (If you click on each of these words above you should be connected to a link where you can hear the words pronounced.\u00a0 Otherwise you look the words up in an online dictionary where you should be able to hear the pronunciation.)\u00a0 Both of these words (gibberish and gobbledygook) are real words in English, but they are used to describe words or groups of letters that are not real words.\u00a0 An example of gobbledygook is html** or non-word typing mixed in with actual written text.\u00a0 For example if I saw this in my post:<\/p>\n

\u201cGibberish is a generic* term %3D%22unicode%22%3E%CB%8C%3C in English for talking that sounds like actual language 3C%2Fspan%ndadkadfjhsaoen%3D%22unicode%22%3Eu%CC%87%3C%2Fspan%3Ek%2C%20-%but actually has not real meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n

I might say: \u201cHow did all that goobledygook get into my post!<\/p>\n

Often people make up gibberish when they are talking to children or acting silly, any nonsense word can be considered gibberish.\u00a0 In English there is a famous poem by Lewis Carroll entitled Jabberwocky<\/em>, which is written using a great deal of gibberish.\u00a0 The words that you recognize in this poem, like: \u2018did\u2019, \u2018and\u2019, \u2018in\u2019, \u2018the\u2019, are English words.\u00a0 The words you don\u2019t recognize are most likely gibberish. (I have italicized<\/em> all of the real English words in the poem below so you can be sure which words are which.)\u00a0 You won\u2019t be able to look the gibberish words up in a dictionary, they won\u2019t be there, because they don\u2019t exist.\u00a0 These are just fun combinations of sounds with no actual meaning.\u00a0 This is poem is often a favorite of young children, because of the funny nonsensical*** nature of it.\u00a0 It is a fun poem to read out loud.<\/p>\n

Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll<\/strong><\/p>\n

‘Twas<\/em> brillig, and the<\/em> slithy toves
\nDid<\/em> gyre and<\/em> gimble in the<\/em> wabe;
\nAll<\/em> mimsy were the<\/em> borogoves,
\nAnd the<\/em> mome raths outgrabe.<\/p>\n

“Beware the<\/em> Jabberwock, my son \u00a0<\/em>
\nThe jaws that bite, the claws that catch<\/em>!
\nBeware the<\/em> Jubjub bird, and<\/em> shun
\nThe<\/em> frumious Bandersnatch!”<\/p>\n

He took his<\/em> vorpal sword in hand<\/em>;
\nLong time the<\/em> manxome foe he sought<\/em>\u2014
\nSo rested he by the<\/em> Tumtum tree<\/em>,
\nAnd stood awhile in thought<\/em>.<\/p>\n

And, as in<\/em> uffish thought he stood<\/em>,
\nThe<\/em> Jabberwock, with eyes of flame<\/em>,
\nCame<\/em> whiffling through the<\/em> tulgey wood<\/em>,
\nAnd<\/em> burbled as it came<\/em>!<\/p>\n

One, two! One, two! And through and through<\/em>
\nThe<\/em> vorpal blade went<\/em> snicker-snack!
\nHe left it dead, and with its head \u00a0<\/em>
\nHe went<\/em> galumphing back<\/em>.<\/p>\n

“And hast thou slain the<\/em> Jabberwock?
\nCome to my arms, my<\/em> beamish boy<\/em>!
\nO frabjous day<\/em>! Callooh! Callay!”
\nHe<\/em> chortled<\/em> in his joy<\/em>.<\/p>\n

‘Twas<\/em> brillig, and the<\/em> slithy toves
\nDid<\/em> gyre and<\/em> gimble in the<\/em> wabe;
\nAll<\/em> mimsy were the<\/em> borogoves,
\nAnd the<\/em> mome raths outgrabe.<\/p>\n

Here is an audio version of the poem so you can hear what all this gibberish sounds like.\u00a0 Enjoy!<\/p>\n