DOUBLE TALK

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DOUBLE TALK, also double-talk.
1. PATTER that uses a mix of NONSENSE and real words. The US word buff Paul Dickson noted in 1982: ‘Well done, it is a skilful blend of meaningful and meaningless words that when delivered leads the listener to think he is either hard of hearing or losing his mind. Or to be more to the point: a durnamic verbal juberance with clear mokus, flaysome, and rasorial overtones’ (Words).

2. Deliberately ambiguous and evasive language. Compare DOUBLESPEAK, JARGON, JIVE, STUNT WORD. See AMBIGUITY.

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