Meaning of grammelot | Babel Free

Definitions

A style of language used in satirical theater: a gibberish with macaronic and onomatopoeic elements, used in association with mime and mimicry.

countable, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Actually, much of “Mistero Buffo” doesn't require⟳ translation and indeed is untranslatable: Mr. Fo speaks in “grammelot,” a kind of polyglot gabble speckled with an occasional intelligible word.”

“Then, dashing in and out of guises, using his expressive face⟳ and body and speaking in grammelot so that everyone can understand⟳ him, he might improvise. That would surely be a Nobel first, like⟳ the winner himself.”

“The language sounds random – “moot moot” and the rest⟳ – but it’s actually quite precise. Theatrically, it’s like⟳ Grammelot, a technique that has been used in theatre and commedia dell’arte for hundreds of years.”

CEFR level