Lexicon Valley

Gobbledygook Explained

Nov 18, 2025
Dive into the world of gobbledygook as the hosts uncover its quirky origins and baffling implications. They hilariously compare political ramblings to word salad and explore etymological twists, like the transformation of 'gob' from mass to mouthful. Historical highlights include a 1500s Aeneid translation involving Cerberus and the playful onomatopoeia of turkey sounds. Plus, learn about Maury Maverick's fight against convoluted language and his comical take on jargon that deserves a good roast!
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INSIGHT

Meaning Of Gobbledygook

  • Gobbledygook describes speech that is intentionally obscure or needlessly complex to impress or hide ignorance.
  • The term covers both pretentious vocabulary and jargon that alienates listeners.
ANECDOTE

Erwin Corey’s Vaudeville Double-Talk

  • Bob and Mike play audio of Professor Erwin Corey using aerobatic gibberish as a longstanding comedy act.
  • Corey performed incomprehensible double-talk for decades and entertained audiences into his centenarian years.
INSIGHT

How 'Gob' Became Food And Mouth

  • The root gob originally meant a mass or lump and evolved to refer to large mouthfuls of food.
  • That semantic path links gob → mouth → gobble as eating quickly or greedily.
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