Episode 249: Gift of Gab

 

This week Shauna and Dan explore the gift of gab. Or sometimes, gob. Bonus: Fur babies, blarney stones, pet voices, and art appreciation

 

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast
Episode 249: The Gift of Gab
Record Date: September 23, 2024
Air Date: September 25, 2024

Intro

Dan:
Welcome to Bunny Trails, a whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase.

I’m Dan Pugh

Shauna:
And I’m Shauna Harrison

Each week we take an idiom or other turn of phrase and try to tell the story from its entry into the English language, to how it’s used today.

Opening Hook
Before I figured out I have ADHD and found methods to help manage it… I occasionally… well frequently, felt embarrassed at the realization that I’d been talking for minutes on end. It made me feel pretty awkward but I ended up learning how to use it to my advantage. It helped that my dad was encouraging and positive about my talkative nature. He always told me that I just have the gift of gab.

Meaning

There are several common usages today for the phrase Gift of Gab. It may be a way to say a person is comfortable in conversation or that they enjoy talking - or perhaps that they talk a lot. It’s frequently used to imply not only a lot of talking but certain skills or talents related to conversation.

According to Oxford English Dictionary, “gift of gab” is,

Quote
an ability to speak fluently and eloquently, especially in a way which persuades or charms the listener.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/gab_n3?tab=meaning_and_use#3358761

Now our phrase has two key words - gift and gab. The word gift in the context of our phrase refers to a natural ability or talent. As for the second key word, Oxford English Dictionary tells us “gab” means,

Quote
Talk; (in early use) light, entertaining chat, lively conversation;
(later chiefly) foolish or inconsequential talk; prattle; twaddle
End quote

When we combine the words into the phrase, however, it takes on that new meaning. We’re ready for our early appearances in print but first I’ll worn you that the excerpt is going to sound slightly off.

1681
This early attestation is from the “Whiggs Supplication, Or, The Scotch-Hudibras, A Mock-poem In Two Parts” by Samuel Colvil, published in 1681.

Quote
… to be a bad Poet may well be a shame, it is no sin, Neither is it a Shame for me in this first essay, where my only design is to make men laugh, and not to vex them: But bad Lines many times cause more Mirth than good ones. Where one laughs at the Poems of Virgil, Homer, Ariosto, Du Bartas, &c. Twenty will laugh at those of John Cockburn, or Mr. Zachary Boyd. What Hypocondriaque, would not presently be cured at the reading of those Lines;

There was a Man called Job
Dwelt in the Land of Uz,
He had a good gift of the Gob,
The same case happens us.
End quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Whiggs_Supplication_Or_The_Scotch_Hu/qHAgAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22gift+of+the+gob%22&pg=PP17&printsec=frontcover

Yes, I did say gob. Interestingly, gob is listed as a chiefly English regional term while gab is listed as originally Scottish and also shows up in the mid to late 1700s. But here we have one more with gob.

1712
The Present State of the Parties in Great Britain by Daniel Defoe was published in 1712.

Quote
In the Choice of our Preachers, what Instances have we to determine us by, when, as before is noted, a Half-bred Youth that makes, as we call it, a good Figure in the Pulpit, one of Mr. Burgess's Pureblood Preachers that has a little Musick upon his Tongue, and Reads handsomely, that Talks apace, has the Gift of the Gob and pleases our Fancy, shall run away with the whole Town, and draw Crowds of Hearers after him,
End quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Present_State_of_the_Parties_in_Grea/ga5jAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22gift+of+the+gob%22&pg=PA326&printsec=frontcover

This quote gives us enough context to tell that this “gift of the gob” is a skill or talent that benefits the one who possesses the quality.


1811
Our next entry comes from the slang collection of one of Dan’s favorite dictionarians… let’s take a look at Francis Grose’s “1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: A Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit, and Pickpocket Eloquence” by Francis Grose.

Quote
GAB, or GOB. The mouth. Gift of the gab; a facility of speech, nimble tongued eloquence.
To blow the gab; to confess, or preach
End quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Dictionary_of_Buckish_Slang_University/SaYv1_wxbZ8C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=gift+of+gab+francis+grose&pg=PT88&printsec=frontcover

In Grose’s entry, he lists the words gab and gob as interchangeable terms. And this seems to be a fairly accurate assessment for their usage leading up to and around that time.

As you may expect, we see a decline in the use of the term gob and gab only continues to grow in popularity.

1821
The Massachusetts spy, December 05, 1821, out of Worcester, Massachusetts, includes the snippet of a story,

Quote
"And what do you think of doing with your heir—a fine lad, too—your only son, I think."
'He is, sir. Why, I think of making a doctor-of him, but he prefers being a parson; and, as I can afford to give him the first of medications, it don't matter.
He's a bright boy; he’ll get on; and I can give him some thousands.'
"Right, my honest friend; and I know a family that has high church interest. But we must not talk of that now; at another time we will. He'll make a capital bishop; he speaks well, don't he?"
•Oh! aye, your honor, he has the gift of the gab.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83021201/1821-12-05/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=1800&index=0&date2=1825&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=gab+gift&proxdistance=5&state=&rows=20&ortext=&proxtext=gift+of+gab&phrasetext=&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

We don’t know this gentleman’s motives but he is definitely complimenting the judge’s son.

1895
The American, September 06, 1895, out of Omaha, Nebraska, shared an article titled “The Gift of Gab. Silence Is Not Always Golden - Exceptions to the Rule”. The article wraps up with an interesting reflection.

Quote
Silence may be golden, and proud men full of such gold have starved because they would not speak of their necessities. The gift of gab is ready money.
"Reading makes a full man." So does eating, for that matter, though of late there have been a great many people who couldn't swear to this.
Much study makes a learned man. But the man who is learned and silent is soon forgotten, If he is ever remembered.
The wise man down town may say he "gives no drinks for wind," but all the same he must pay tolls on good talk.
The man who has something to say and the wit to say It well is a power.
Silence is golden; but the gift of gab somehow is most apt to take the cake.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/2017270212/1895-09-06/ed-1/seq-6/#date1=1850&index=2&date2=1900&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=gab+gift+gifted&proxdistance=5&state=&rows=20&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=gift+of+gab+&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

This article had some other fun items in it - including why the man downtown says “no drinks for wind”. And we’ll dig a little more into it in the behind-the-scenes video which airs every Friday on our Patreon,  patreon.com/BunnyTrailsPod.

1934
The Brownsville herald December 23, 1934, out of Brownsville, Texas shares about the hit ‘Gift of Gab’ which was showing at the Rivoli theatre in San Benito.

Quote
Gift of Gab at Arcadia:
A glance at the cast and particularly the radio broadcast stars who have been added to screen favorites, indicates that ‘Gift of Gab’ scheduled at the Arcadia theater in Harlington Tuesday and Wednesday will prove highly entertaining. It is a colorful review of surprising completeness, which runs the gamut of comedy, drama, music, tropical, spectacle and romance, and there is coherence tying it all together.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86063730/1934-12-23/ed-2/seq-10/#date1=1756&index=1&rows=20&words=GAB+Gab+Gift+GIFT&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1963&proxtext=gift+of+gab&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

I love that a coherent story line was part of their advertising strategy here.

1959
Last in our historical references, let’s go to the Evening star, December 06, 1959, out of Washington, D.C.

Quote
Some of us are born rich, some beautiful, all young. But the most priceless gift of all is something no one inherits. Only a lucky few develop it
— the Gift of Gab.
How about you? Is your wit the nimble kind, always ready with the lifesaving word that will get you out of trouble, win fame, fortune and a pretty girl to spend it for you?
Or does your brain curl up and hide until the crisis is past, and then come swaggering out to tell you what you should have said?
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1959-12-06/ed-1/seq-176/#date1=1756&index=6&rows=20&words=Gab+Gift&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1963&proxtext=gift+of+gab&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

Is this not perfect? The more things change… the more they stay the same. I’ve heard plenty of people tell the story of that zinger they thought of just a few moments after the other party had already left the conversation.

And that excerpt really helps highlight the progression of the phrase over time. It started out being somewhat generally applied to a smooth talker or someone who could handle conversing in various settings and eventually, we get to those who can lead a whole town full of people right down the street and now describing a person with an almost magical ability to charm others with their words.

We have several modern uses to cover and we’ll get to those, right after we say thank you to our sponsors.

A Quick Thank You
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Modern Uses


2011
“Gift of the Gob: Morsels of English Language History” is a 2011 novel by Kate Burridge. She starts with a forward, answering the tough questions,

Quote
Why Gift of the Gob?
Several years ago, Gift of the Gab: Australia and Languages was chosen by the Australian Academy of Humanities as the name for its annual symposium. I loved the title and it motivated me to investigate the complicated history of gab and gob. Very colloquial expressions are generally short-lived, but these two have endured. Both gab and gift of the gab show the usual fate of survivors - they generally intrude into neutral style and become standard.
End quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Gift_of_the_Gob/Z5zKiS_jQbwC?hl=en&gbpv=0

2012
The book “Gift of the Gab: The Irish Conversation Guide” by Tadhg Hayes with illustrations by Terry Willers was published in 2012. Here’s the synopsis:

Quote
For the unprepared visitor Irish conversation can be a minefield. 'How's the craic ?' is not an assumption that you are well versed in the properties of narcotics substances, merely an enquiry after your health and general well-being. A seemingly easy question like 'You're not from around here are ye?' requires a far more detailed reply than 'No, I'm not'. In order not to be thought rude you should supply details of where you live, why you are in Ireland, the tiny village, now deserted, from which your great-great grandfather emigrated in the year dot, and, to be really accepted, your salary figure, marital status and daily eating habits!

To the uninitiated, advice like this might seem extreme, but, as Tadhg Hayes points out, the proper answer will save you from insistent and repeated questioning, which, in the case of the Irish, is motivated by genuine interest and not just downright nosiness.
End quote
https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Gab-Irish-Conversation-Guide/dp/184717289X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=11XSRINQ4W0D2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GGTn8-6oaF4JqwSOVXXBU71bM0XF4ZR2vbINjdAEV3T-FmWp4rkPbh8hRJN2cgRkG2yKHgjeHY4EbtTAkW_1zp7cThJ-smEtUQbO0Mo7QgdICz7STi0IWvXRXJDFVYK_KEF1ssgPhXN0TFH6A2XeyOkL-0ae7Le_SCfDNeY2xR3sgzK3fa2BbiX3NPx4LlYnfqm9WBtMeYpMedbYJcki_LkAqtqxK_pirMkJVHygfjY.EODhdg0it-AVuoWBYouVw6XlqzAX8YA-7S7KXKeSyAE&dib_tag=se&keywords=gift+of+gab&qid=1727125748&s=books&sprefix=gift+of+gab%2Cstripbooks%2C142&sr=1-3

D&D Spell
Gift of Gab is a Sorcerer spell in D&D. Here is an overview of the spell from the D&D 5e Wiki Fandom site,

Quote
Jim Darkmagic is said to have invented this spell, originally calling it I said what?! Have you ever been talking to the local monarch and accidentally mentioned how their son looks like your favorite hog from when you were growing up on the family farm? We've all been there! But rather than being beheaded for an honest slip of the tongue, you can pretend it never happened — by ensuring that no one knows it happened.

When you cast this spell, you skillfully reshape the memories of listeners in your immediate area, so that each creature of your choice within 5 feet of you forgets everything you said within the last 6 seconds. Those creatures then remember that you actually said the words you speak as the verbal component of the spell.
End quote
https://dnd-5e.fandom.com/wiki/Gift_of_Gab


2021
Switching gears, we have to talk about rap for a minute. For that, I’ll be reading from a 2021 article by Gabe Meline shared on KQED.org titled, The Gift of Gab: 5 Songs to Know by the Blackalicious Legend.

Quote
The Gift of Gab, who died June 18 at the age of 50, was a bona fide Bay Area legend. Underappreciated nationally, he occupied a special place in Bay Area hip-hop: immensely skilled, imaginative, earnest, and filled with stamina.
Gab was a powerhouse on the stage; a thrill to watch. And while we won’t get that chance again, he leaves behind a large body of recorded work. Here are some of his more memorable tracks.
“Alphabet Aerobics” (A2G, 1999)
Gab’s signature track is a dextrous workout, a mini-marathon of lyricism, and an accelerando run through the alphabet that should be taught in every kindergarten class. It’s the Blackalicious song most people know (memorably, Daniel Radcliffe performed it on The Tonight Show), and proved a guaranteed show-stopper in live sets.
End quote
https://www.kqed.org/arts/13899416/the-gift-of-gab-5-songs-to-know-by-the-blackalicious-legend


Current
Gift of Gab Design does all sorts of artistic things like balloons, artwork, calligraphy, and seasonal decor. The namesake, Gab creates really interesting and colorful custom pieces on canvas, champagne bottles… it’s really neat artwork. She also creates items focused on the fur babies in the family with pet heirlooms.
https://giftofgabdesign.co/


Current
The Gift of Gab is an artwork designed by Sasso that is available on arttogo.com. This particular painting features three human skulls turned toward one another, almost as if in conversation. The primary colors are at play with one skull in red, one in yellow, and one in blue with a gray background. It’s a bold, quirky, and fun piece of art.

This site - art to go dot com -works with artists to provide art on-demand. They offer something in between mass-produced artworks and one-of-a-kind 100% handmade works. So in this case, The Gift of Gab is digitally signed by the artist but it’s still the artist’s design and is made from mixed media - paints on canvas, etc. And you don’t have to find a frame. It comes in a nice wooden frame, ready to be displayed. It’s a cool concept.
https://www.arttogo.com/store/p418/The_Gift_of_Gab_by_Sasso_24%22_x_36%22_Framed_Canvas.html#/



Wrap up:
Gift of Gab is a good phrase. It’s fun and simple and it’s just a lighthearted way of saying someone is good at talking. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Shauna:
That’s about all we have for today. If you have any thoughts on the show, or pop culture references we should have included, reach out to us on Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod, or comment on our website, bunnytrailspod.com


Dan:

It’s patron poll time!

Recently we asked our Patrons,

What’s your jelly flavor?

Jelly, Jam, Preserves, it doesn't matter to us. Just tell us the flavor!
We also asked what foods you put your preferred fruity topping on.

Grape came in first place, followed by a tie with Strawberry and Apple, then another tie for Raspberry and Peach.


Emily said
Quote
I also like a local favorite: Pomegranate Jelly
End quote

Shauna
Pomegranate jelly sounds good. My favorites are strawberry preserves and blueberry jelly - made fresh.

Jan said
Quote
Ever had a bologna and grape jelly sandwich? Pretty tasty! I make my own yogurt and sometimes use jelly for the fruit on the bottom. I ran out of the main fruit I was using and only had jalapeno jelly in the fridge so I used that. Some of the best yogurt I've had.!
End quote

I’m not sure that’s my thing…

Dan:
I like a traditional grape jelly on toast, but sometimes will rock with an apple jelly if it is available. I use red raspberry in my lil smokies recipe along side grape jelly, unless I can actually find red currant jelly, then I use that.

I also like going to the farmers market and getting a small container of different jelly to try. My favorite that I've tried is the jalapeno jelly. There is just something about the sweet and spice that makes it really good.

As a reminder, our silly polls mean absolutely nothing and are not scientifically valid. And patrons of all levels, including our free tiers, can take part. Head over to patreon.com/bunnytrailspod to take this week’s poll!

Outro

Dan:
Thanks for joining us. We’ll talk to you again next week. Until then remember,

Together:
Words belong to their users.