babble(动词/名词):指含糊不清地说话、嘟囔,或滔滔不绝地说些没重点的话;也可指婴儿的咿呀学语。(另有“流水潺潺声”等含义,这里以最常见的“说话”义为主。)
/ˈbæbəl/
The baby began to babble after a few months.
宝宝几个月后开始咿呀学语。
Nervous during the interview, he started to babble and forgot his main point.
面试时他一紧张就开始语无伦次,连要点都忘了。
babble 属于拟声/叠音性质的词,模仿“ba-ba”这类不清晰、断续的发声,早期多与婴儿的含混发音相关;后来意义扩展到成人说话含混或不停地说(尤其是缺乏条理的唠叨)。