Babblers

/ˈbæblərz/ noun

Definition

Plural of babbler; multiple people or animals that babble, or a referring to members of the Timaliidae bird family known for their chattering calls.

Etymology

Plural form of 'babbler,' with regular -s ending. The word applies both to humans who talk excessively and to an actual bird family, creating a meaningful overlap between figurative and literal usage.

Kelly Says

The ornithological use of 'babbler' for birds is fascinating because it reverses the usual direction of animal metaphors—we call chatty people babblers after the birds, but babblers themselves were named because people recognized their behavior in the birds' calls.

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