Used for the talk of the aborigines.Some think it is the English word jabber, with the firstletter pronounced as in German; but it is pronounced by theaborigines yabba, without a final r. Yais an aboriginal stem, meaning to speak. In the Kabi dialect, yaman is to speak: in the Wiradhuri, yarra.
1874. M. K. Beveridge, `Lost Life,' pt. iii. p. 37:
«I marked Much yabber that I did not know.»
1885. R. M. Praed, `Australian Life,' p. 28:
«Longing to fire a volley of blacks' yabber across a Londondinner-table.»
1886. R. Henty, `Australiana,' p. 23:
«The volleys of abuse and `yabber yabber' they would then utterwould have raised the envy of the greatest `Mrs. Moriarty' inthe Billingsgate fishmarket.»
1888. Rolf Boldrewood, `Robbery under Arms,' p. 55:
«Is it French or Queensland blacks' yabber? Blest if Iunderstand a word of it.»
(See noun.)
1885. R. M. Praed, `Australian Life,' p. 19:
«They yabbered unsuspiciously to each other.»
1887. J. Farrell, `How he died,' p. 126:
«He's yabbering some sort of stuff in his sleep.»