argle-bargle: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-frequencyInformal, Humorous
Quick answer
What does “argle-bargle” mean?
A lot of loud, noisy, or trivial talk or argument.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A lot of loud, noisy, or trivial talk or argument; a verbal dispute characterised by confusion or pointlessness.
Prolonged, meaningless, or petty wrangling, often in a political or bureaucratic context. Can also imply nonsense or gibberish.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More commonly attested in British and Scottish English, though understood and occasionally used in American English.
Connotations
In both varieties, implies futility and irritation. In British English, may have a slightly more established, colloquial feel.
Frequency
Rare in American English; low-frequency but recognisable in British English.
Grammar
How to Use “argle-bargle” in a Sentence
[subject] + verb (be/get into) + argle-bargle + (about/over [topic])cut through/ignore the + argle-bargleVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “argle-bargle” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- After all the parliamentary argle-bargle, the bill was passed unchanged.
- I'm tired of the legal argle-bargle surrounding the property sale.
American English
- The debate degenerated into partisan argle-bargle.
- Skip the marketing argle-bargle and tell me the price.
verb
British English
- They spent the afternoon argle-bargling over who should make the tea.
American English
- The senators argle-bargled for hours without reaching a conclusion.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"Let's skip the contractual argle-bargle and agree on the core terms."
Academic
Used informally to critique overly convoluted theoretical debates.
Everyday
"Their meeting was just an hour of pointless argle-bargle."
Technical
Not used in formal technical contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “argle-bargle”
- Using it in formal writing.
- Misspelling as 'argle bargle' without hyphen (though sometimes written as two words).
- Confusing it with a specific type of logical fallacy; it describes the manner, not the structure, of talk.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a recognised, though informal, word in English dictionaries, dating back to the 19th century as a fanciful reduplication.
Yes, though less common than its noun form. To 'argle-bargle' means to engage in noisy, trifling dispute.
'Gibberish' is unintelligible speech, while 'argle-bargle' may be intelligible but is considered pointless, trivial, or overly convoluted dispute.
It is most common in British and Scottish English, though it is understood in other varieties.
A lot of loud, noisy, or trivial talk or argument.
Argle-bargle is usually informal, humorous in register.
Argle-bargle: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɑːɡl̩ ˈbɑːɡl̩/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɑːrɡl̩ ˈbɑːrɡl̩/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “cut through the argle-bargle”
- “all argle-bargle and no action”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of two people ARGuing and bARGLing noisily, merging into 'argle-bargle'.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNICATION IS A PHYSICAL SCRAMBLE (confused, messy, unproductive struggle).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary connotation of 'argle-bargle'?