Definition
Language that is confusing, overly complicated, or meaningless, often used by officials or professionals to hide simple ideas.
Etymology
American English, coined around 1944, likely imitating the sound of a turkey's call (gobble) combined with nonsense syllables. The term became popular during World War II to describe bureaucratic jargon.
Kelly Says
A turkey-inspired insult for bad writing! The word perfectly mimics what turkeys sound like, so Americans started using it to describe the confusing sounds of bureaucrats and lawyers—it's onomatopoeia turned into social criticism.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
አስፈሪ ቋንቋ
ahs-PEH-ree koo-nkoo
ARالعربية
لغة غير مفهومة
luġa ġayr mafhūma
BNবাংলা
অস্পষ্ট ভাষা
aspaṣṭ bhāṣā
CSČeština
hantýřina
HAHN-tee-reh-nah
DADansk
kviksølv
KVEEK-sohlv
DEDeutsch
Kauderwelsch
KOW-deh-reh-vels
ELΕλληνικά
γλωσσικό χάος
glossikó cháos
FAفارسی
زبان مبهم
zabān mabham
FISuomi
jargoni
YAR-goh-nee
FRFrançais
jargon
zhahr-GOH
GUGU
અસ્પષ્ટ ભાષા
aspaṣṭ bhāṣā
HAHA
harshe maraice
hahr-SHEH mah-RAH-cheh
HIहिन्दी
अस्पष्ट भाषा
aspaṣṭ bhāṣā
HUMagyar
zsargon
ZHAR-gohn
IDBahasa Indonesia
bahasa yang tidak jelas
BAH-hah-sah yahng tee-dahk JEH-lahs
IGIG
asụsụ dị iche
ah-SOO-soo dee EE-cheh
ITItaliano
gergo
JEHR-goh
KKKK
тұсініксіз сөз
too-SEE-nee-ksiz sohz
KMKM
ភាសាមិនច្បាស់
phiăsă mĭn chbas
MRMR
अस्पष्ट भाषा
aspaṣṭ bhāṣā
MSBahasa Melayu
bahasa yang tidak jelas
BAH-hah-sah yahng tee-dahk JEH-lahs
MYမြန်မာ
မသိမ်းမသိမ်း ဘာသာ
mah thee mein mah thee mein bah-thah
NLNederlands
onduidelijke taal
ohn-DEE-yel-ee-kah TAH-l
NONorsk
kliksølv
KLEE-ksølv
PAPA
ਅਸਪਸ਼ਟ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ
aspaṣṭ bhāṣā
PLPolski
bełkot
BEH-ool-koh-t
PTPortuguês
jargão
zhahr-GOW
RORomână
jargon
zhahr-GOH
RUРусский
каудервельш
KAH-oo-dehr-vehlsh
SVSvenska
krångel
KROH-ngel
SWKiswahili
lugha isiyo wazi
LOO-gah ee-SEE-yoh WAH-zee
TAதமிழ்
புரியாத மொழி
puriyāta mozhi
TEతెలుగు
అర్థం కాని భాష
arthaṁ kāni bhāṣa
THไทย
ภาษาที่ไม่เข้าใจ
p̣hāsā thī mị̂ khao cai
TLTL
wala sa saysay na wika
WAH-lah sah SAY-say nah WEE-kah
TRTürkçe
anlaşılmaz konuşma
ahn-lah-SHEE-lmahz koh-noo-shmah
UKУкраїнська
каудервельш
KAH-oo-dehr-vehlsh
URاردو
غیر واضح زبان
ġhayr wāżiḥ zabān
VITiếng Việt
ngôn ngữ khó hiểu
ngôn ngư khoh hieu
YOYO
èdè tí kì ṣe
eh-DEH tee kee shay
ZUZU
ulimi olungakhulumi
oo-LEE-mee oh-lung-ah-KHOO-mee