Where Does the Phrase ‘Gift of Gab’ Come From?

If you’re lucky enough to have the gift of gab, you’re likely familiar with the idiom. This fun-to-say, alliterative phrase refers to the valuable ability to speak eloquently, especially when it comes to flattering or persuading others. But there’s a little more to it than you might have initially considered. 

1. What Is ‘Gab,’ and Why Exactly Is It a Gift?
2. Why Do People Kiss the Blarney Stone?

What Is ‘Gab,’ and Why Exactly Is It a Gift?

The term gab, in this instance, comes from Middle English. Gob was originally the word for “mouth,” and gabbe was used to suggest idle gossip or conversation. Gabbe only came to mean “chit-chat” in the 14th century; however, in the 13th century, it had a more negative connotation, suggesting someone who talked too much, or even a taunt or an outright lie. These Old English words were, in turn, probably influenced by Old Norse and Old French. Old Norse used gabb to mean mockery, and in Old French, to gap meant “to joke.”

The whole phrase gift of the gab seems to have emerged around 1680, and by the late 1700s, gab was frequently used in English to refer to chatter. Likewise, the adjective gabby came about to describe someone who is particularly talkative. Nowadays, all of these terms are staples in the English language.

But the gift of gab isn’t just something you’re born with. According to legend, you can acquire it at any point in your life; all you have to do is kiss the famous Irish Blarney Stone.

Why Do People Kiss the Blarney Stone?

Blarney is a small town in Ireland with a big reputation. Its significance dates back to 1314, after the historical kingdom of Desmond assisted the Scots against England in the Battle of Bannockburn. As a token of appreciation, Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, gifted Cormac McCarthy, King of Desmond, with a 6.5-pound rock alleged to have magical properties. His descendant, Dermot McCarthy, proceeded to build the castle that houses it in 1446. The stone was put into the castle battlements, where it remains today.

It was also Dermot who propelled the stone into lasting notoriety. It’s said that, despite promising to deliver the castle to the English Crown, he managed to perpetually delay the transfer of ownership through his eloquent exchanges with the English official, the Lord President of Munster. His way with words was so notable that it was said that if you hung upside-down and kissed the castle Blarney Stone, as it came to be called, you would be endowed with lifelong solabharthact—Gaelic for the gift of gab. The same story is what led to the English word blarney, meaning flattery.

Nowadays, the Blarney Stone still gets around 400,000 visitors per year, most of whom line up to give it a kiss. In fact, famous figures like Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, and Mick Jagger have all taken their turn smooching the stone. Kissing it isn’t as easy it may seem, however—in order to do this time-honored ritual justice, you first need to scale up to the top of Blarney Castle, then lean over it backwards. Though there are iron railings there now to help, this wasn’t always the case, and the act of trying to kiss the stone could lead to real injuries, as people were traditionally lowered head first—with the help of friends—and dangled over the battlements by their ankles to pull it off.

Regardless of whether you try to do it with a pal or not, you could join the tradition and make your way to Blarney Castle if you’re looking for a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year. Who knows? You may even come home with some newfound oratorical skills for your troubles.

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